Month: April 2026

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[VOICE]: This [00:00:30] is Dental Leaders. [00:00:35] The podcast where you get to go one on one with [00:00:40] emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [00:00:45] hosts Payman, Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

Payman Langroudi: It [00:00:50] gives me great pleasure to welcome Andy Acton back onto the podcast. Andy [00:00:55] is one of the originals in Dental business. So head off. [00:01:00] Frank Taylor associates with his partner Chris and serial entrepreneur. Really? So apart [00:01:05] from practice sales and purchases, um, you guys have FTA law, FTA [00:01:10] careers or is it recruitment, FTA media, FTA wealth? [00:01:15]

Andy Acton: We’ve actually jettisoned some of them over the years. Have you have you have you? Yeah. So FTA law, we, um, [00:01:20] we sold out to the law partners a few years ago. Um, yeah, great experience. [00:01:25] Um, FTA recruitment, um, during Covid, everybody wanted to do it themselves, [00:01:30] which they were welcome to.

Payman Langroudi: So, so what’s the list now?

Andy Acton: So we’ve got Frank Chen associates, which values and sales Dental [00:01:35] practices very focussed on that. Fta finance commercial finance broker arranges money from [00:01:40] £1000 to £10 million for anybody who wants to do FTA media, which [00:01:45] is primarily our in-house media team, but also available to clients as well. Fta wealth, which [00:01:50] is insurance protections, investments for dentists, whether they’re owners or associates. [00:01:55] And one of our most recent ventures is the Principals Club, which is a members only club [00:02:00] purely for um principals, independent practice owners, giving them a community of somewhere [00:02:05] to go. So yeah, I’ve got a few bits on keeping busy.

Payman Langroudi: So I want to go with it today if [00:02:10] it’s okay with you is firstly like, where are we at market [00:02:15] market snapshot. Um, and I know for anyone listening, we’re in December [00:02:20] 2025. So if you’re listening to this in four years time, it will be a very different market. But where [00:02:25] are we at right now? That one, I want to do that piece. And then the other piece I want to do is, you know, you’ve been around [00:02:30] long enough to see the sort of the life cycle of an owner. And, you know, [00:02:35] from all the way from, should I start with, should I open a practice? Should I start with a squat [00:02:40] or an existing. The early, the teething pains, the surprises, the recruitment, the scaling [00:02:45] growth. And then on the other end of it, I want to sell my practice and how long it takes for that [00:02:50] cycle in general. And something that you’ve developed that I actually filled out [00:02:55] the, the form, which was the fatigue.

Andy Acton: I saw it come through. We must have [00:03:00] a separate conversation about that. I didn’t like your score.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah. Gave me a 34%. Saw your business. But. [00:03:05] Yeah, but but you’ve seen that. You’ve seen fatigue in owners and what that [00:03:10] looks like. So should we just start with that? So where are we? Market snapshot.

Andy Acton: Market conditions are good. Um, [00:03:15] we’ve got a still a huge demand [00:03:20] to buy dental practices, which is quite surprising because lots of us pick up our [00:03:25] sentiment, confidence from social media. And there’s a lot of moaning and groaning about [00:03:30] where things are at. But I see it from the crude commercial end of [00:03:35] things. Yeah. And we put a practice to the market. There’s still a lot of people interested. So in terms of quantification, [00:03:40] we’ve got about 7500 people registered with Frank and associates [00:03:45] wanting to buy a dental practice now. Let’s Pareto was a cool dude [00:03:50] and he got it right. 8020 works. But even if we roll that down to 1500 people. [00:03:55] That’s more than the practices that are going to get sold in any given calendar year. So nobody [00:04:00] has an exact number, but it’s probably somewhere around 5 to 600 practices a year. Chain chains. So [00:04:05] we’ve kind of got A3X of, of, of trimmed numbers of buyers that want to buy practices. [00:04:10] So the.

Payman Langroudi: The, some of them will do a squat, right?

Andy Acton: They will, but that’s a, that’s [00:04:15] a pretty small number.

Payman Langroudi: Is.

Andy Acton: It? Yeah. Relative to the people who buy practices, [00:04:20] the noise and the chatter around squats is enormous.

Payman Langroudi: It’s exciting.

Andy Acton: Oh [00:04:25] it’s fun. It’s fun. Lots of things in life sound fun, but doing them isn’t quite as much fun as you think. It’s it’s [00:04:30] pretty tough work. So there’s a lot of talk about that. But most people will buy an established practice. [00:04:35] The supplier practices come to the market, never meets demand. So there’s always [00:04:40] a shortage of practice coming to the market relative to people who want to buy. And I think that’s where [00:04:45] the squat market fits quite nicely, because you get people who get frustrated, they can’t find the practice [00:04:50] they want. And on finding the practice you want. You should have a shopping list of things you want. [00:04:55] You should have. Ten things you want, but also have the wisdom to understand that you’re not going to find [00:05:00] a practice that meets those ten things. If you can put a tick in three, four, five boxes. [00:05:05] Definitely consider it because if you’re looking for that perfect practice, it doesn’t exist. And I [00:05:10] think for those people, sometimes a squat can can be a way to go, but you need a [00:05:15] different set of skills that don’t suit all dentists. So there’s that side of [00:05:20] things. But the last component where the market’s at the banks are still loving dentists at [00:05:25] the moment. There was a period about 18 months, two years ago where the banks were just [00:05:30] a little bit cold. A couple had kind of tightened up their policies. Whereas now we’re in a we’re [00:05:35] in a world where there’s.

Payman Langroudi: They’re looking for low risk.

Andy Acton: Yeah, there’s 12 to 14 [00:05:40] hungry banks. Lots of them have fairly recently revised their credit policies. So they’re more willing to [00:05:45] lend to dentists. And banks only make money by taking deposits or lending money. So they have [00:05:50] to lend a lot of money. And so healthcare has always been a green light sector. And within healthcare, [00:05:55] dentists are loved because typically a dental practice does not go bust. [00:06:00] If there’s a problem with a dental practice, normally it’s money being drawn out of the dental [00:06:05] business and put into something outside of the dental practice, and that’s where the problems come. So [00:06:10] we got the banks loving the market. We’ve got sellers still wanting to sell and an oversupply [00:06:15] of buyers. And that puts the the independent market in a in a very, very good [00:06:20] situation.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. But I mean, if we’re talking the price, [00:06:25] price, peak price, have we reached peak price? Because I suspect obviously price is, is um, [00:06:30] affected by supply and demand as you say, by lending, it is affected [00:06:35] by what are the corporates doing as well. Yeah. So as far as price is the price now [00:06:40] lower than it was a year ago, two years ago.

Andy Acton: For most practices. Yeah. So a, a [00:06:45] value gets represented as a as a multiple and it’s a multiple of the underlying [00:06:50] profit in that practice. So everybody’s very keen to know what what the multiple is. Yeah. And I’d say [00:06:55] that for many practices, the multiples come down by about 0.1, 0.2 something [00:07:00] in that order. It’s not it’s not huge. And remember that during this time [00:07:05] practice performance has improved as well. So in pound notes in your pocket, [00:07:10] many practice owners aren’t feeling any difference because their practice performance is improved. Um [00:07:15] the value has eased back just slightly. Um, I think buyers are being slightly more [00:07:20] choosy. I think where people would have taken on a practice that, um, was perhaps in difficulty [00:07:25] and they’d be prepared to, to help it recover. They’re now looking for something that’s in really good [00:07:30] shape unless you’re a more experienced operator.

Payman Langroudi: Give me some. You know, if someone’s looking [00:07:35] to buy a practice, sometimes it’s their first practice. They’re doing it because of control [00:07:40] or whatever. And then people come to you with a list of things that they want for that [00:07:45] practice. Now, outside of, you know, I’m not as interested in sort of location, [00:07:50] that sort of thing. I’m much more interested in what kind of things are they trying to exploit. [00:07:55] So for instance, we had a dialogue. He said, I’m looking for a practice that isn’t doing implantology [00:08:00] because I’m an implantologist. So give me some other use cases. Some of the things people say to you. I mean, are people after [00:08:05] NHS practices that aren’t exploiting private haven’t exploited private enough?

Andy Acton: That’s that’s [00:08:10] quite a large part of it is it? Um, and I don’t think that the, the [00:08:15] thinking behind the exploitation is as strong as the driver just to [00:08:20] um, have control.

Payman Langroudi: Yes, but, but I want to know about the business things that people.

Andy Acton: Say [00:08:25] to you. I think the control is the biggest thing, of course. And then I think it is people. So ideal [00:08:30] is a great example. We have a number of people who have specialist skills and they look at practice who are doing general [00:08:35] dentistry and they say, right, I could go in and I could increase the value of that practice. And [00:08:40] one of the things when we value a practice we look at is the sort of data they [00:08:45] deliver and how much is he’s referred out. So quite often you might have a practice that’s doing general dentistry, [00:08:50] and they might be referring out.

Payman Langroudi: And.

Andy Acton: They might have 1 or 2 implants a month. [00:08:55] Yeah, yeah. So if you’re an implantologist and you go, okay, so you could be referring out 50, £60,000 [00:09:00] of treatment a year. And that’s because it’s being referred out. It’s probably [00:09:05] not being it’s they’re not seeking that business. If somebody asks for it or it happens to form part of a treatment [00:09:10] plan, it gets referred out. So imagine if you had an in-house person who could deliver that, and that [00:09:15] became part of your, um, general conversation and part of your marketing plan. You could probably [00:09:20] forex that number. So those are very interesting ones. People are also interested in practices [00:09:25] where there’s growth potential as well. So these are where you’ve got 2 or 3 surgeries. It’s in a larger [00:09:30] building.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, as in building expansion?

Andy Acton: Yes. As in the physical space where they [00:09:35] look to expand it there. Um, so that that’s.

Payman Langroudi: A, that’s a big.

Andy Acton: One. That’s another angle where people, [00:09:40] whether it’s interesting, whether they actually ever exploit it or not, I don’t know. Um. [00:09:45]

Payman Langroudi: You know, my advice for people going for second practice is before you do that, exploit [00:09:50] the first one completely. But, you know, people understand it as well because you’ve [00:09:55] got something in your head that says, hey, why can’t I own 100? Yeah. And you kind of got to go from 1 to 2 before [00:10:00] you can go anywhere else. And so you that vanity metric of the second one, [00:10:05] then you almost lose sight of the first one could be open 8 to 8, seven days a week and [00:10:10] extra rooms added that that itself could be worth more than the two put together.

Andy Acton: One [00:10:15] of the things we look at is occupancy levels. So that’s kind of you’ve got a four surgery practice. [00:10:20] Um, by my measurement, that should be open six days a week for [00:10:25] surgery. So there should be 24 days of dentistry being delivered across that practice. We very [00:10:30] often see in the 12, 14, 15 days. So to your [00:10:35] point about maximising what you’ve got, most people move on way more [00:10:40] quickly to the idea of opening or buying a second before they max out what they’ve got. [00:10:45] And the max out. What you’ve got is important because one, you’re going to sweat that asset [00:10:50] more efficiently. But also you’ve.

Payman Langroudi: Half the number of people like because it’s all in [00:10:55] one site. Yeah.

Andy Acton: And just the logistics of having two different sites. Yeah. Um, it’s harder because [00:11:00] inevitably you always end up in the wrong place. You’re at practice when there’s a problem in practice being and [00:11:05] vice versa. So, so that’s challenging. But also you get, you get other things that come [00:11:10] your way. So if you’ve got to practice at not optimised and not working a really efficient level, [00:11:15] things slip through and it doesn’t really matter if you’re working at a chair occupancy of of 80, [00:11:20] 85% plus you need a really well oiled machine. Imagine if you then [00:11:25] applied those systems, processes and protocols into your second practice. You get another [00:11:30] really well-oiled machine. If you haven’t gone through that process in your first one, you’re going to end up two practices [00:11:35] that are a bit clunky. So it’s not just about optimising it to [00:11:40] to grow more. You’re going to learn things on that first site. So when you go to your second site, [00:11:45] it’s going to be so much easier. But but you’re right. You know, and I think [00:11:50] this happens in, in the corporate world as well. You know, you go to Dental events. And one of the common questions is how [00:11:55] many practices you got now? Yeah. Like that’s a measurement of, of, of success. Yeah, yeah. But from [00:12:00] the numbers that I see very often when you get to ten, 12 practices above, there’s two, three, [00:12:05] four practices that are absolutely causing you pain. They should not be in your portfolio. [00:12:10] They’re costing you money and time and stress. But because we measure [00:12:15] on how many practices you’ve got, no one’s got the cojones to do what they should really do, [00:12:20] which is review their portfolio and move away. Those ones that aren’t performing really well, because [00:12:25] quite often a practising corporate ownership might not perform very well. But you flip that into [00:12:30] independent ownership and it flies because the owner is going to work in there and [00:12:35] they’re going to probably deliver.

Payman Langroudi: Changes the finances altogether.

Andy Acton: They start delivering 300 [00:12:40] 350,000 of dentistry themselves. So the associated costs absolutely [00:12:45] collapse. All that profit goes into the business. Sure. Which Joan is going to need to draw for their own lifestyle. [00:12:50] But suddenly you’ve got a resident principal in that practice and everything starts to go [00:12:55] up a notch. So like I say, it frustrates me a bit on the corporate side that it’s about they [00:13:00] measure the number of practices. But actually I think there’s a, there’s another page to that same [00:13:05] book, which is which are the ones that are causing us pain.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. And then also, I’m quite interested [00:13:10] in the notion of if there’s one practice for sale and you’ve got a corporate bidding or several [00:13:15] corporates bidding on on one end and then independence on the other, the [00:13:20] advantage that independents have got over corporates, insomuch as [00:13:25] we pretty much know what the corporates, different corporates, different policies are when they come to [00:13:30] take a practice over. And the vast majority of them are going to tie in the principal, [00:13:35] whereas an independent can be much more flexible. And if he sees one, that’s correct, he [00:13:40] can work outside of those sort of guardrails that corporates tend to have to be fixed to. [00:13:45] And the best practices can be, you know, snapped up by independents. Is that is that correct?

Andy Acton: 100%, [00:13:50] 100%. And in that case, so to kind of put it into a discussion of what that deal looks [00:13:55] like, if a corporate was buying a practice, they would typically pay something between [00:14:00] 55 and 70% upfront. The rest would be deferred over 3 to 5 year period, [00:14:05] and the seller would be tied in to some performance metrics to get their deferred [00:14:10] consideration. So that’s not an unusual looking corporate deal.

Payman Langroudi: And how often do they not hit them? [00:14:15] Is it often?

Andy Acton: To be fair, they they they hit them most of the time. Do they? [00:14:20] Um, and where they don’t quite often it’s, it’s a disagreement of some sort between [00:14:25] the corporate and the, the seller. Mhm. Um, the, this [00:14:30] notion that the corporates don’t want to pay the deferred consideration, it doesn’t make much sense. [00:14:35] So let’s say that they’ve paid £2 million for a practice and the buyer has got, you know, [00:14:40] 1.2, £1.3 million up front and there’s, you know, seven, 800,000 deferred. They have [00:14:45] still paid 1.2, 1.3 million. So to try to creatively damage a business, [00:14:50] to not pay the deferred when you’ve already paid out 1.2, 1.3 million, it [00:14:55] doesn’t really make much sense. So this this whole notion that I’m going to get screwed over, they’re not going to pay it. [00:15:00] It it doesn’t commercially. I don’t know why you pay over. Yeah. Okay. [00:15:05] Yes. There’s a significant deferred portion, but they have paid quite a lot up front. So normally it’s [00:15:10] a disagreement between between the two parties. Sometimes it’s to do with direction [00:15:15] strategy. Um and that’s kind of for them to work out internally. But in most cases [00:15:20] the money does come out, but you just have to wait for it. But compared to [00:15:25] an independent buyer, the independent buyer, they are going to do their financial due [00:15:30] diligence. They are going to be, in most cases, borrowing from a bank who is also going to do some financial due [00:15:35] diligence to protect them as well. But there is going to be a little bit of heart. It’s not just going to [00:15:40] be bought off a spreadsheet if it’s near where the kids go to school or where they got bought up, or it’s [00:15:45] an easy commute for them and they don’t want to move.

Andy Acton: Those things are going to be the tipping point, and that could be a 20, [00:15:50] 30, £50,000 premium for a practice. But the most significant difference if [00:15:55] you sell to an independent is on the day of completion. The seller gets all their money. It’s [00:16:00] rare that there’s any deferred consideration, and the seller gets a choice [00:16:05] as to whether they want to stay on or not. And in some cases they do. And in some cases they [00:16:10] don’t. Um, if they do stay on, um, quite often it’s just for a handover [00:16:15] period. It might be three months just to bed them in, introduce them to the team, a few key patients, [00:16:20] uh, and then they’ll drop it off on their way. And my view is that’s not a bad [00:16:25] thing. I think there’s always a danger as a seller, you know, imagine your situation. You’ve owned a practice [00:16:30] for 12, 15 years. You sell? I’m now the principal. And you’re [00:16:35] working as an associate. From a team point of view, that’s hard. How do they suddenly just [00:16:40] accept me as a principal when they’ve gone to you for 15 years? It can [00:16:45] be quite challenging. So I think in many cases, the seller moving on isn’t all bad [00:16:50] news. There are there are some cases where the outgoing principal stays on, works as [00:16:55] an associate, just turns up, goes into the surgery, works it works really well in most [00:17:00] cases. I think the salary is better off getting out of the way and creating space for that new person to, [00:17:05] you know, create their own culture and impose their own leadership style and all those things.

Payman Langroudi: Let’s imagine [00:17:10] I’m at the end of my tether, which we’re going to get to actually, aren’t we?

Andy Acton: Are you Payman? [00:17:15]

Payman Langroudi: No, but let’s imagine I’m an owner and I’m at the end of my tether and I want out. What [00:17:20] guesstimate can you give me? Like, what percentage am I going to lose by [00:17:25] saying I’m ruling out staying on any more number of years? Surely it must be at that practice [00:17:30] must be worth less if I’m saying I’m only limiting myself to people who let me go now.

Andy Acton: No. [00:17:35]

Payman Langroudi: Surely, though. No. You know what I mean. I could be open to the whole pool.

Andy Acton: Yeah, you’d [00:17:40] be surprised. Um. As as sad as it is where a [00:17:45] practice changes hands and the owner has been there for ten plus years, and [00:17:50] they go on the day of completion. The attrition of patients is very low and it [00:17:55] hits the ego. It’s hard for people to have owned a business for so long, feeling that actually nobody [00:18:00] really cared that much about them. But it’s the truth. Um, there will always be a, a, an [00:18:05] attrition of patience when there’s a change of ownership, the business change. Any business can go through [00:18:10] is a change of ownership. It’s massive. So when that happens, there will be patients who came [00:18:15] and saw you and they know you’ve left and somebody else has taken over. And those are patients [00:18:20] who have, um, some time ago moved away to a new area, but they keep coming back because they like seeing you [00:18:25] and they’ve always seen you, you were their dentist. So there’s always going to be those people who when the new owner comes [00:18:30] in, you’re going to lose. But overwhelmingly, the patients have a very strong [00:18:35] affinity to the location and the practice, not necessarily the clinician. [00:18:40] They they like the clinician. But as long as that, that change is explained [00:18:45] in a professional way and the new person coming in is, is, is a nice person. [00:18:50] The attrition of patients isn’t huge. So I think it’s a bit of patience though.

Payman Langroudi: I [00:18:55] mean, normally the principal is a high grosser. So if I can make sure [00:19:00] there’s a high grosser, it’s going to be in that position that mitigates my risk.

Andy Acton: Yeah, [00:19:05] we try to as best as we ever can. We try to match a buyer with the seller. Um, [00:19:10] sometimes it’s just not possible because the person selling is 20 [00:19:15] plus years clinically, um, qualified. Um, they’re just incredibly [00:19:20] efficient with how they deliver their dentistry. Yeah. And you’ll have somebody coming in who they may [00:19:25] have only been qualified for, you know, seven, seven, eight years and they’re buying a practice. They’re just not going to operate at the same [00:19:30] level. So that can be substituted with associates because the associate [00:19:35] team, the therapists, the hygienists are probably going to stay there. The other team are going to stay there. And the person [00:19:40] coming in, they want it to work. Like most people I come across in dentistry are nice. [00:19:45] Yeah, there aren’t many like psychos, so the person buying wants [00:19:50] it to work. They’re going to be nice. They’re going to be they’re going to support the team and clinical and non-clinical [00:19:55] team. They might not be at the gross they need to, but they’re going to get there. [00:20:00] But it doesn’t mean that by leaving straight away, there’s [00:20:05] an impact on, on on the value that you you get.

Payman Langroudi: One thing I remember the [00:20:10] last time I had you, I wanted to hear terrible stories. And then I was reflecting on it [00:20:15] and I was thinking, well, these are kind of confidential stories, you know, so I can understand why you won’t [00:20:20] want to tell a terrible story. But now I want to go the other way. Like, do you know if people and [00:20:25] what, what kind of growth. Who have bought, scaled and [00:20:30] sold in a short period of time and doubled the value of. So for sure, give me some like [00:20:35] I don’t need their names. Yeah, but examples of what people have done and flipped, you know, [00:20:40] the flippers. Yeah. Rather than the people who hold on to the practice for years and years.

Andy Acton: So on the good and the bad. [00:20:45] Um, I, over the years, I’ve worked quite hard to kind of raise my profile through [00:20:50] social media. And as a result of that, people think they know you, you really well and [00:20:55] it’s lovely, but the truth of what you just said is 95% of the work I do, no one will ever hear [00:21:00] about because.

Payman Langroudi: Confidentiality.

Andy Acton: Confidentiality, nature of what we do. So if somebody DMs me or messages [00:21:05] me, um, that’s never going to become a public conversation. And a lot of the content [00:21:10] that I put out doesn’t necessarily get huge engagement for the same reason that people [00:21:15] will want to speak to me privately and don’t necessarily want to publicly connect themselves with me. So.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, you mean they don’t [00:21:20] want to go in the comments and say, exactly.

Andy Acton: Can you help me sell my practice? People don’t do that. Um, which [00:21:25] is fine, which is absolutely fine. So there are horror stories. Uh, share [00:21:30] a horror story with you, then I’ll tell you.

Payman Langroudi: A good one.

Andy Acton: So there was a horror story where somebody bought [00:21:35] a practice. Um, and literally within a month of, [00:21:40] of taking over the practice, they completely remodelled the reception [00:21:45] area. They changed all the colours, all the branding, um, and the price [00:21:50] list as well. So the impact of that was the, um, the seller [00:21:55] had been retained as an associate, the seller’s wife worked as a practice [00:22:00] manager receptionist, so she was still working in the practice. So they just completely revamped what [00:22:05] the practice looked like. The colour scheme and the style had been, [00:22:10] um, decided as a as a collective. The team had sat down and decided what they wanted the practice [00:22:15] to look like. So you’ve steamed in on day one and ripped out the reception area that [00:22:20] they collectively designed and adored. And you’ve changed the style. So you’ve immediately alienated [00:22:25] the people in the practice. Patients came in, saw this shiny new practice, [00:22:30] and coupled with that was a price rise. And a new owner, like [00:22:35] you’ve literally just gone through the book of problems. You should not have done those as a golden rule [00:22:40] for 6 to 12 months change. Don’t change a thing.

Payman Langroudi: Unless unless you feel like [00:22:45] what the existing place needed to be changed. You know, like.

Andy Acton: Yeah, there have been cases where.

Payman Langroudi: Dental [00:22:50] beauty do that.

Andy Acton: Yes. Yeah. There have been cases.

Payman Langroudi: Where.

Andy Acton: People yeah, people [00:22:55] go in and sometimes it’s for good reason. So where a practice has a particularly [00:23:00] poor reputation. Yeah, it can be flipped as a real positive. But as a general rule of thumb, [00:23:05] just evolutionary. Just have a little notebook, just write down all the things you see and [00:23:10] then talk to the team and bring the team along with you as opposed to jump in with your good ideas.

Payman Langroudi: I tell a [00:23:15] story about fennel. I buy, I buy my fennel from this, the most expensive fruit fruit [00:23:20] shop in London, right? It’s opposite my kid’s school. It’s just there and I buy it there and other stuff. And [00:23:25] one day I walk in and, uh, I noticed [00:23:30] the guys aren’t there anymore. And there’s a whole bunch of new people, and I figure it’s been solved. Yeah. [00:23:35] And immediately I’m thinking, what about my fennel? Is my fennel going to stay the same or not? And [00:23:40] then what really got to me was a very simple thing. They moved the till, the till [00:23:45] used to be there. Now it was here. And for me, that was a sign that things were going to [00:23:50] change. Yeah. And I was on my guard and I wasn’t sure. And in the end, now I’m still [00:23:55] shopping there. But which kind of goes to your point about being being loyal to the building? Yeah. And I’m sure [00:24:00] the fed was just as good, but the fear that something might be up, they might come and change everything [00:24:05] just because the till had moved. So this example you’re giving.

Andy Acton: But the thing [00:24:10] is we’re comparing um, very well. It’s very it can [00:24:15] very intimate, sometimes invasive dentistry through buying a herb. But [00:24:20] but but you were connected to that place. So you can see why that’s the case. But the success stories, [00:24:25] I mean.

Payman Langroudi: So what happened? What happened? The patients ran away.

Andy Acton: No, there there [00:24:30] was massive disruption. The guy that sold the practice, um, left his wife left. [00:24:35] So he had to bring somebody else into the practice. Uh, they lost some patients. It was 3 [00:24:40] or 4 months of disruption that was completely unnecessary. If he’d [00:24:45] just calmed down. Just calm down.

Payman Langroudi: Excited, don’t you, when you’re [00:24:50] buying.

Andy Acton: Of course you do. But the thing is, most people own a practice for 10 to 15 years. It’s [00:24:55] not a race. It’s not a race. But then I suppose we also need to remember that the the timeline [00:25:00] to buy a practice, it takes kind of 9 to 12 months. So by the time you get in there, you feel [00:25:05] like it’s been yours for a long while, you know already. I just didn’t have the keys, [00:25:10] but I’m emotionally connected with this location, so I want to get in and I want to start doing things. [00:25:15] So biting your tongue and just waiting. Just waiting for a while. Just watch what’s [00:25:20] going on. It will. It will serve you well. As I said, not in every case, but in most cases, you should [00:25:25] do that. But the the good ones, some of them are remarkable. Um, there [00:25:30] was a guy who bought a, what was a single surgery practice. And typically [00:25:35] single surgery practices aren’t particularly popular anymore. Years ago they worked quite well. [00:25:40] Just dentists worked on their own. They took 8 to 10 weeks holiday a year. It paid them a lovely lifestyle. [00:25:45] That was great. Whereas now there’s much more of a business element to, to, to dentistry. [00:25:50] And this particular site was a, was a single surgery practice.

Andy Acton: And there was a, um, a [00:25:55] residential flat above, um, the person that owned the building had always been very generous, [00:26:00] hadn’t charged much for the residential flat above, was prepared to sell the freehold. So the person that bought it had had the [00:26:05] whole site. So the person that bought it bought a single surgery practice and a flat with the tenant upstairs, [00:26:10] uh, early on, had a conversation with tenant. Tenant was going to move out. So suddenly [00:26:15] single surgery practice. An empty freehold with the potential to turn it into [00:26:20] four surgeries. Um. There was a smallish NHS contract [00:26:25] in the practice, but it had quite a nice flow of patients. Um, expanded it out [00:26:30] into four surgeries. So I did the sensible thing of having the whole thing um, plumbed [00:26:35] and wired for four, but just fitted out those surgeries as they went and it went from one surgery [00:26:40] to four surgeries over about an 18 months to two year period. Came back to me and [00:26:45] said, you know, what do you think? Where do we go? And I’m like, you’ve probably had 80 to 90% [00:26:50] of the game you can have in this site. You really you’ve done so well.

Payman Langroudi: And did you [00:26:55] quadruple the number of patients as well?

Andy Acton: Um, not quite. No. But the amount that was [00:27:00] being earned per patient had gone up significantly. But just by increases prices, making [00:27:05] the experience better. It was a fairly old style practice. Yeah. You know, you turned [00:27:10] up, you got your dentist and you went there wasn’t really much experience that went with it. So by elevating. [00:27:15]

Payman Langroudi: At that point.

Andy Acton: Yeah. So he got to he got to four surgeries and he came back to me and said, you [00:27:20] know, where do I go from here? And I said, I don’t think you can do much more with it. I said, if you’re content running this [00:27:25] practice, it will throw off lovely profit, but you can’t really expand more. So you either need to get another [00:27:30] site. Um, but be aware you’ve then got two sites to manage. Um, or what [00:27:35] you might want to do is basically cash in, you know, take, take the gain on this site and get [00:27:40] another site, which is what he did.

Payman Langroudi: What kind of figures are we talking? How much did he buy it for? How much do you sell it for?

Andy Acton: So he bought it [00:27:45] for it was about 400 for the practice. [00:27:50] Yeah. Um and the freehold I think was like two, 250 something like that. If you take the [00:27:55] freehold out it’s about 400 for the practice. And when it came out it went for it was nearly 2 million. [00:28:00]

Payman Langroudi: How many years.

Andy Acton: For. Oh yeah. The process [00:28:05] end to end to end was a four year process.

Payman Langroudi: And did he do that again as well? Like some, some people are just good. Yeah. [00:28:10]

Andy Acton: Yeah. There’s a number of people who.

Payman Langroudi: Are good at that.

Andy Acton: Have the ability And we’re in a new. [00:28:15] We’re in a new dimension now in. When I so I started in, in, in [00:28:20] this game back in 2000. So I took 25 years ago. And back then there were very [00:28:25] few business minded entrepreneurial dentists. Most people got into ownership [00:28:30] for the same reason it is today. It kind of locked them in. It gives them kind of a certainty of future. But [00:28:35] the business skills weren’t there, and in essence, the demand was [00:28:40] sufficient to keep them in business and keep them going. And that’s just the way it was. Now, [00:28:45] uh, I talk to people who are doing their A-levels who haven’t [00:28:50] even got into dental school yet, who are saying, so how do I grow a group? What’s the best way [00:28:55] to grow a group? Can you talk me through private equity? How does that work? These guys, they’re kids, you know, [00:29:00] I kid you not, you know, they’re sort of 16, 17 year olds, you know, at home on a Zoom call. It’s [00:29:05] wild how how the world’s moved. And there’s lots of people who are [00:29:10] just coming out of dental school. They’re just doing their PhD and they’re saying to me, is it too early [00:29:15] to practice? What does it look like? What do I.

Payman Langroudi: Need to do? The dental student in Liverpool who owns a practice.

Andy Acton: I [00:29:20] think I probably.

Payman Langroudi: Do know the guy. Yes it.

Andy Acton: Is. And [00:29:25] it’s it’s amazing and it’s brilliant. And it’s great that these opportunities are out [00:29:30] there and the world’s moving that fast. I think my only word of caution is it doesn’t have [00:29:35] to apply and look like that for everybody. Because just because you have access to [00:29:40] the resources to enable you to buy a practice doesn’t necessarily mean you should. And [00:29:45] there are lots of families who perhaps clumped together some resources to enable a [00:29:50] family member to buy a business, which which is brilliant. And that bank of mum and dad works strong with [00:29:55] some bank funding. That’s a great way to get into ownership. The only issue it brings is lots [00:30:00] of these young guys, they’re just not rounded enough yet. And going back to the point about [00:30:05] dentistry as a career, hopefully it’s going to be something you’re in for 20, 30, 40 years. Learn [00:30:10] how to talk to patients. Learn how to communicate those interpersonal [00:30:15] skills. I’m not clinical at all. But as I understand, lots of younger dentists are coming out of dental school and they haven’t [00:30:20] had the the wet handed experience that perhaps they would have when you’d have qualified. So you need to kind of really [00:30:25] tune in and learn those things. And once you’ve got that, that foundation sorted, you can [00:30:30] then build on that foundation. Whereas if you start too early because you don’t know what you don’t know, [00:30:35] there could be gaps in what you’re doing and they could be masked by [00:30:40] money being introduced into the business. And I just think that there’s a danger that we [00:30:45] move too quickly. And because many of these things are so public through social media, it does put [00:30:50] pressure on people to feel that they’ve got to be in that same rat race. But I don’t think it has to be.

Payman Langroudi: It’s [00:30:55] funny you asked dentists this question all the time, but I’m kind of interested in what you’ve got to say about it. Would you encourage [00:31:00] your kids to become dentists?

Andy Acton: Probably [00:31:05] not.

Payman Langroudi: Go on.

Andy Acton: Probably not. Go on. Um, I think the, um, I [00:31:10] think the health tol, um, doesn’t necessarily get talked about enough. Um, [00:31:15] the amount of people I see with serious back and neck issues [00:31:20] and just, just generally, um, the, the toll it’s taken [00:31:25] on the body.

Payman Langroudi: So you’re, you’re seeing a bunch of people who have to sell their practice [00:31:30] due to medical.

Andy Acton: Yeah. I mean, you had, you had Randeep Gill on recently, who’s doing the CFO [00:31:35] thing. He he he he’s one, you know um, we work with through the principles club. We work with [00:31:40] guy George Vernon who’s a kind of, um, wellness and personal trainer and coach. He [00:31:45] has clients. Same situation. In fact, we’re bringing out something next year to help dentists with this [00:31:50] very thing. Yeah. They spend hour after hour in their surgery leaning over a patient. And [00:31:55] sure, there’s great ergonomic stools and there’s, you know, things to help you, but [00:32:00] it’s a very physical thing. And I see a lot of dentists who are struggling physically as a result [00:32:05] of it. And I think there’s also a hidden stress of being a dentist, regardless [00:32:10] of being a practice owner. I think just being a dentist, I think it’s quite a stressful thing to do because [00:32:15] everybody’s aware that the GDC are there. Everybody is aware that. I think as a country, we [00:32:20] are becoming slightly more litigious. I don’t think it’s, you know, anything like as rampant as perhaps [00:32:25] people think, but that’s whirring away in the background. You know, you’re doing microsurgery, [00:32:30] you know, hour after hour, day after day. So there’s risks that come with that. And I [00:32:35] think there’s a stress that builds up in the background, and that stress that builds up in the background coupled [00:32:40] with the physical side of things. I think from my side, you know, I look [00:32:45] at it from a business perspective, but I don’t think it’s for the faint hearted. I think.

Payman Langroudi: It’s. [00:32:50]

Andy Acton: Quite a serious.

Payman Langroudi: Undertaking seeing that firsthand, and it’s both physical and mental. It is. [00:32:55]

Andy Acton: It is. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Issues that people have, and obviously dentists have famously had mental, mental [00:33:00] health issues that, you know, not not only since the GDC. Right? It’s been. Years [00:33:05] and years.

Andy Acton: It’s been talked about a lot in terms of just how how it affects dentists. [00:33:10] And when you look at, you know, dentists compared to other professions, sadly, it ranks incredibly [00:33:15] highly in terms of the mental health impact it has on clinicians.

Payman Langroudi: So let’s talk [00:33:20] about the subject of fatigue, which I guess in a way is the beginnings of [00:33:25] anxiety, you know, mental health issues around your [00:33:30] work. Yeah, in, in a way, that’s what it is. It’s, I guess, a combination of mental and physical things. [00:33:35] But fatigue is a business owner and you’re saying it’s quite common ten [00:33:40] years in.

Andy Acton: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: That’s interesting to me. That seems quite young. How old are most people [00:33:45] when they’re buying practices? 30 young, early 30s. Yeah.

Andy Acton: When, when I started, [00:33:50] people tend to own practice for about 15 years and they sold around [00:33:55] 60 early 60s. So they’d buy when they were about 45 and they’d get out at 45. [00:34:00]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. Really?

Andy Acton: Yeah. So it was it was slightly later in life. It wasn’t anything like as young as it is now. [00:34:05] And they would then exit, um, 60, early 60s, something like that. I think now [00:34:10] we’re seeing lots of buyers who are, um, 30 early 30s, um, and they’re [00:34:15] exiting after 10 to 12 years. So they’re coming.

Payman Langroudi: Out seem young. So what are they doing after that? Whatever they’re doing.

Andy Acton: I [00:34:20] think they, um, they either stay on working clinically, um, or they take some time out and [00:34:25] then they come back and have another go on the radio because it’s it, whereas it always used to be [00:34:30] Dental school, you know, a decade as an associate by practice, exit, [00:34:35] retire, that kind of was a very typical cycle that most people went through. Now [00:34:40] it’s kind of qualify within 2 or 3 years. Start looking for a practice by practice, probably [00:34:45] got a side hustle of some sort going on or other then. But quite often these people don’t just limit all [00:34:50] their, um, their business activities to, to Dental practice. Um, they own [00:34:55] that practice for a period of time and linking it to that guy that did incredibly well [00:35:00] and grew that practice from 1 to 4 surgeries. Quite often people, they’re seeing the growth in their [00:35:05] practice and they’re like, okay, so if I maximise the returns on this practice and they’re [00:35:10] staying in touch with where the market’s at and they’re thinking, right, so perhaps now might not be a bad time [00:35:15] to exit. And then they look for another practice that might not be performing particularly well. So there’s [00:35:20] very there’s, there’s more cycles taking place in a Dental career than there was previously.

Payman Langroudi: In [00:35:25] your 25 years. How’s the valuation angle [00:35:30] changed? Because I remember years ago it wasn’t to do with Ebit. No, it was to do with [00:35:35] your gross multiplied by what was a percentage. Yeah. Lower than 100% [00:35:40] of your gross or something like that. Almost 100%. Your growth.

Andy Acton: There was a notion that and [00:35:45] it was just one of these things that.

Payman Langroudi: Was just a legacy thing.

Andy Acton: It just got made up and everyone stuck to it. Yeah, it. [00:35:50]

Payman Langroudi: Was probably Frank Taylor. It was only him.

Andy Acton: Let’s blame.

Payman Langroudi: Him.

Andy Acton: But for a long [00:35:55] while, everybody assumed it was 33% of turnover. That’s what that’s what people said [00:36:00] it was it was 33% of turnover.

Payman Langroudi: Like maybe like one year’s Eve. Yeah.

Andy Acton: And, and [00:36:05] then.

Payman Langroudi: One and a half years.

Andy Acton: Then what happened was it moved to, um, a, [00:36:10] a multiple of underlying profit. Yeah. And much of that was being driven by [00:36:15] the, the, the funders, um, not necessarily the traditional banks because the traditional [00:36:20] banks were quite happy with that, that percentage approach. But as external investment and private [00:36:25] equity came in, those guys were very much used to looking at the underlying profitability in the business, which I completely [00:36:30] understand. And so as a result of that, people were saying, so what’s the, what’s the, the EBITDA? [00:36:35] Um, so we said, well, okay, we can let you have the EBITDA number, but the, the EBITDA [00:36:40] number is great, but there’s two different EBITDA numbers. And this is where it gets a bit confusing when [00:36:45] people start talking about multiples because there’s the EBITDA number, which is [00:36:50] principles. Exactly. So you’ve got a dental practice operating purely on an associate [00:36:55] led basis. So the associate costs are going to be higher. And there’s a multiple that applies to that number. [00:37:00] And then you might have the same practice with the principal working in it. Reduce reliance [00:37:05] on associates. So the underlying profitability is higher.

Andy Acton: And there’s a multiple that’s applied to that. [00:37:10] And there is an argument and a logic that says, but the underlying profits are the same because one of them’s just got the cost [00:37:15] of the owner in there. And it does. But how the owner wants to treat that that income is entirely up to [00:37:20] them. They may have a need to, to draw all of that money. They may not. So there’s those two different [00:37:25] models, but the, the multiple in the majority of cases doesn’t [00:37:30] actually change the value. So you might have a practice that’s completely reliant on associates. [00:37:35] That is, that has an underlying profit of 100,000 and [00:37:40] that might have a multiple of, of seven times applied to it. So you’ve got a 700,000 [00:37:45] valuation. And then on the other side of things, you might have a practice that because the [00:37:50] principal is working in that practice, you’ve got a value of of £300,000, [00:37:55] but it might only have a multiple of 2.4 times applied to [00:38:00] it, which is probably 700,000. So the the underlying values are actually the same. Um, [00:38:05] but, but the other element that.

Payman Langroudi: That same practice in the year 2000 [00:38:10] would be worth a lot less, right? Oh for.

Andy Acton: Sure. Oh oh back in 2000, um, [00:38:15] it was the significant change was 2006. [00:38:20] So for many of your listeners, they probably weren’t around then. [00:38:25] Like old guys like us were. But that was when what is still referred to as the new [00:38:30] GDS contract came in. That was when, prior to that, as an NHS provider, it was items [00:38:35] of service. It was literally you got paid for what you did. It was amazing. Whereas then I went, oh, hold on, this [00:38:40] is from a budget point of view. This is a nightmare. So could we give you a fixed contract to deliver [00:38:45] udas? Yeah, and that would be amazing. So Dental practices then got a contract. But [00:38:50] the reason it affected value so much, it wasn’t necessarily. The contracts were so amazing. [00:38:55]

Payman Langroudi: But they were contracts. They were government contracts.

Andy Acton: Yeah, they were government contracts, which were evergreen. [00:39:00] And I would love to have a business where I just got paid year in, year out, as long as I kept delivering against [00:39:05] my metrics. Oh, wonderful. Wonderful. But what it did is it put every associate out there at risk [00:39:10] because back then there were very few pure private practices. They [00:39:15] all had NHS contracts. So if someone has capped your income effectively by giving you an [00:39:20] NHS contract, if you want to enhance a profitability in your business, you need to reduce your costs. [00:39:25] And the major costs in a dental practice is associates. So if I was earning, say, [00:39:30] £200,000 of profit and this new contracts come in and I run my numbers and I go, oh, I’m [00:39:35] now only going to earn £150,000 a year, but I’d still like to earn £200,000. [00:39:40] So how do I add £50,000 to my profit? Well, if I did some more [00:39:45] updates and had a reduced reliance on associates, I still get £200,000. Excellent. [00:39:50] So I’m going to do some more. And then you as my associate. I don’t need you for three days anymore. I need you for a day and a half. [00:39:55]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Andy Acton: So suddenly associates are feeling vulnerable. They’re like, geez, this is a nightmare. So how do I fix [00:40:00] that? I go further up the food chain and I buy a practice and that fixes it.

Payman Langroudi: It’s [00:40:05] interesting though, in a way like on your side for your business that [00:40:10] you’re doing the same work in the year 2000 [00:40:15] as you are in the year 2025, but you’re getting way more money per sale. [00:40:20] Yes, it’s quite interesting. At the same time, dentists were were charging nothing [00:40:25] for a crown back then and charging a thousand.

Andy Acton: And I think the world’s changed. I think the work that [00:40:30] we have to put in to get a sale away is significantly different. So back [00:40:35] in, in the early days, you would literally send a practice out to the market to launch it. [00:40:40] And that was a piece of paper in an envelope with a stamp taken to the post office. And then basically [00:40:45] you just carry on with your job and you’d wait, and hopefully somebody would ring in and you’d arrange a viewing. [00:40:50] And once an offer was accepted literally 2 or 3 months later. The [00:40:55] deal completed.

Payman Langroudi: Really?

Andy Acton: People switched over. That was it, really? Well, the thing is, back then there [00:41:00] was no this kind of you know, in the early days, there was no no version of an NHS contract from one party [00:41:05] to another going through the partnership route. Um, the Care Quality Commission, nobody even thought about [00:41:10] that idea. Um many of the practices were uh, owned [00:41:15] as a, as a freehold. Um, or if it were, if they were creating a lease, it was Yona whereas there’s way [00:41:20] more third party landlords now. So third party landlord being, I own the dental [00:41:25] practice, but I have a lease in place with somebody else. You buy my business, but you’re not [00:41:30] buying the building. But the landlord has to transfer the lease from me to you. And [00:41:35] from the landlord’s point of view, frankly, it’s a nuisance. I’m paying the landlord rent, and then you’re going to pay [00:41:40] them rent. So not a lot changes for them, but they have to go through this hassle. So that can take time.

Payman Langroudi: So then so [00:41:45] the business cycle is elongated as far as that’s a massive for any business that’s a pain.

Andy Acton: Oh. [00:41:50]

Payman Langroudi: It’s not just the pain, it’s financially. Yeah.

Andy Acton: And it’s, it’s it’s three times longer. [00:41:55] You know, a three month transaction was not unusual. Now it’s routinely nine months. And the [00:42:00] problem that brings is momentum. Anything in life we can get momentum into anything. It’s more likely to happen. [00:42:05] If you think about if you’re doing a decorating job at home, you know, if you kind of get the plumber in, great, [00:42:10] the electrician turns in, you order the new bits for the bathroom. Great. That’s good. If any part of that got [00:42:15] disrupted, a job that could take 4 or 5 weeks could take six months. Just [00:42:20] because you lost momentum, you couldn’t get into the rhythm of it. It’s exactly the same in a practice sale. If you can [00:42:25] keep bouncing from an offer accepted to a bank valuation to the CQC registration going [00:42:30] in to getting the third party landlord onside, the NHS contract, if all those things can keep happening [00:42:35] and it bounces, everybody stays engaged and excited. If any one of those stalls or slows down [00:42:40] trying to get that rhythm back into a deal, it’s not. It’s not particularly easy.

Payman Langroudi: Before [00:42:45] we move on to this fatigue question, one last thing from the raising [00:42:50] finance perspective, where are we at? Like, how much do I need? What percentage of the value of [00:42:55] the practice do I need to raise? Personally, typically right now in December [00:43:00] 25th.

Andy Acton: So it’s safe to have 10%. Um, average practice [00:43:05] in the UK at the moment around about eight £900,000. So it’s safe to have 10%. It’s 80 90,000. [00:43:10] Your legal and other costs say an extra £20,000. So if you’ve got 100, [00:43:15] £110,000, you’re in a very safe category at that level. However, at the moment [00:43:20] there are banks that will lend you up to 100% of the [00:43:25] purchase price, which is staggering, absolutely staggering. And they’ll lend you 100% [00:43:30] of the freehold purchase price as well. So there are banks out there in theory, [00:43:35] that require you to put no money in at all. However, it will be very dependent [00:43:40] on the performance of the business you’re buying and your own personal profile as well. For [00:43:45] safety’s sake, I’d say have your 10% put aside. It’s always better to have it and not need it [00:43:50] than not have it. And you’ve got a problem. And the banks at the moment the rates are [00:43:55] very generous. Um, many of them are sub 2% above base rate. And [00:44:00] to put that into context for me as a non dentist, if I want to borrow money for a venture, [00:44:05] if I can get 50% of the total investment, I’ve done very well and my interest rate [00:44:10] will be something like 6 to 7% above base rate.

Payman Langroudi: So big difference.

Andy Acton: Huge.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:44:15]

Andy Acton: We only see the world as we see it though. So dentists are things aren’t as they used to be. And [00:44:20] you know, there have been times when they’ve been slightly more generous, but we are in a window where [00:44:25] the banks haven’t been much more generous than they are today at the moment. Being able to.

Payman Langroudi: Remember [00:44:30] the famous 110%, which is a beautiful thing, wasn’t it? Yeah. Money to [00:44:35] do it up as well. You know, as.

Andy Acton: A borrower, it’s a beautiful thing. But I think that that [00:44:40] phrase skin in the game, I always think where somebody hasn’t got anything in [00:44:45] the ability for them just to fold and walk away. Um.

Payman Langroudi: It [00:44:50] doesn’t happen in Dental though. So much does it? It doesn’t, I mean.

Andy Acton: But um, but I still think in any [00:44:55] situation, I think it was quite nice. And even now, um, even at 10%, [00:45:00] someone’s still putting in 90% and you might be able to get 100%. Um, [00:45:05] but I think it changes, it shifts your, um, attitude to it if [00:45:10] you part with money, you know, if, if you do an event.

Payman Langroudi: Of course, of course. Yeah, it seems obvious.

Andy Acton: But the thing is you, [00:45:15] you, you arrange lots of events and your, your exemplary at creating an environment [00:45:20] and a, and a package that people want to come to, but [00:45:25] where your events are free, whereas where somebody has to pay a token gesture, [00:45:30] totally different.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Andy Acton: The commitment changes and we just, we just behave differently when things are free. We don’t [00:45:35] attribute the same value to it. So I think putting money in is always a good thing, even though we don’t [00:45:40] perhaps think it as a person putting the money in, I think it actually is a good thing.

Payman Langroudi: Let’s talk about this life cycle then. [00:45:45] Yeah, I by the practice, the, the teething pains, all of that. Let’s [00:45:50] get to the other side of it. The, the when, when the fatigue starts, which you’re saying eight, [00:45:55] ten years in, what are the signs and symptoms of that fatigue?

Andy Acton: So this is, [00:46:00] this is not this is not kind of a scientific approach. This isn’t [00:46:05] an evidence based approach of my 25 years experience. And what I see is [00:46:10] around about 8 to 10 years. For some, it can be 10 to 12 years, but around 8 to 10 year window, [00:46:15] um, owners start to suffer owner fatigue. And they don’t in many [00:46:20] cases know they’ve got it. They can’t always articulate what it looks like, but I’ve, I’ve [00:46:25] built it. I’ve thought about it in terms of five different categories. And [00:46:30] the five categories it seems to fall into is emotional load. So this is just, [00:46:35] you know, we’ve probably all had businesses where at times there’s been, there’s been a cash flow [00:46:40] issue. Yeah. Um, the emotional load looks like waking up at 3:00 in the [00:46:45] morning and knowing that you haven’t got as much cash in the business as you need. The emotional load is [00:46:50] you’re on holiday and you’d like to switch off and have a break and you can’t. So emotional [00:46:55] load, it’s just it’s just like a sandbag. It just sits on your shoulders and it’s there all the time. [00:47:00] The next thing is lifestyle misalignment and, and as a business owner, and this affects [00:47:05] dental practice owners, but it’s a business owner thing. Lifestyle misalignment means you are going to miss personal [00:47:10] things. You’re going to miss a mate’s wedding.

Andy Acton: You’re going to you might not get home in time for the birthday [00:47:15] party. Um, there’s going to be social events that you’re not going to get to. And [00:47:20] likewise, there’s going to be very important business things that you really feel you should be at, but [00:47:25] you can’t be at the other side. So this lifestyle misalignment is this pull from both sides [00:47:30] where you have a personal life and you have a business life, and trying to match those [00:47:35] two off isn’t isn’t always easy. You then have the third area’s decision, [00:47:40] fatigue and decision fatigue is you asked a hundred questions every single [00:47:45] day. And some of this is due to lack of processes and systems being in place, [00:47:50] but it can be wearing where you’re just asked question after question. And sometimes you give a bad answer [00:47:55] because you’re just exhausted and you didn’t really give it the thought that it needed. [00:48:00] You’ve then got role creep, which is the fourth area where many people think, I’m going to buy a dental practice. [00:48:05] It’s going to be brilliant. I’m going to be a dentist and I’m going to be the CEO. Amazing. That’ll be [00:48:10] my life. That’ll that will look good. So put that in the bin. The reality is you’re dealing with [00:48:15] HR, I.T., marketing, sales, quality control, your CEO, [00:48:20] your dentist.

Andy Acton: And then outside of that, you’ve then got going back to the lifestyle misalignment, you’ve got [00:48:25] a world outside of dental practice ownership. So what you’re doing is many things. [00:48:30] And remember, the one you’re qualified is being a dentist. All the others, you [00:48:35] don’t really know what you’re doing. You’re kind of learning as you go. Um, [00:48:40] and some of them, um, you know, if you did a marketing campaign, it didn’t work particularly well. Okay. [00:48:45] The impact it’s going to cost you some money and you’ll recover from it. But if it’s an HR issue [00:48:50] and you don’t manage it particularly well, potentially there’s a tribunal coming down the road towards you. [00:48:55] So that creates a stress as well. And then the last part of this of these categories, [00:49:00] exit readiness. And this isn’t about pushing people into a corner to say [00:49:05] you need to sell, but it’s about having a plan around what selling looks like. And [00:49:10] I say to lots of people, being prepared to sell and selling are two completely different things. They’re [00:49:15] not connected, but you do need a plan of what your exit looks like, because if you don’t have a plan [00:49:20] that creates a stress because you wake up in the morning, you’re like, when does this stop? When, [00:49:25] how do I get out of this? I feel like I’m on this treadmill.

Payman Langroudi: No light at the end of a tunnel sort [00:49:30] of thing.

Andy Acton: I’m on a treadmill and I’ll just keep doing my thing and and when does it come out? And those [00:49:35] five different areas affect different people in different ways. There’s no rule book that says [00:49:40] you go from one step to the next to the next. But I’ve noticed that from speaking to people and articulating [00:49:45] that quite often there’ll be nods and people go, no, you’re right. You know, I have [00:49:50] got this misalignment or I do feel at the end of the day, I’m absolutely [00:49:55] exhausted and I don’t know where to go or how to recuperate. And then it starts [00:50:00] the next day. And I do feel that I’m kind of on my knees trying to fix tech, [00:50:05] and I don’t really know what I’m doing. It’s that.

Payman Langroudi: You know, as a professional [00:50:10] business, you’re more at risk of this quandary [00:50:15] than me or you. Insomuch as you know, we can we [00:50:20] can fool ourselves. I can fool myself with I’m going to bring out a toothpaste next year and I’m going to [00:50:25] take over the world, you know. And even if that doesn’t happen, the [00:50:30] hope that I could do that. And, you know, there is this light, there’s some sort of a spark [00:50:35] that that could happen. Whereas when you’re in a professional business and dentistry, it’s a sort of a building [00:50:40] based business. If aside from the, you know, multiple practices, you’re in [00:50:45] this building. And so you can’t imagine that anything’s going to change radically [00:50:50] in this building, especially if you’re not, you know, mind, you’re, you’re, you’re, you’re, [00:50:55] you’re tired and frustrated. You’re, you’re not going to make some massive change, start some [00:51:00] massive marketing campaign.

Andy Acton: I think their world is quite small. Yeah. They go to [00:51:05] the same building every day. They then go to a room in that building. They spend.

Payman Langroudi: Same [00:51:10] person.

Andy Acton: Same, spend several hours with one person. Probably their nurse in that [00:51:15] they have a rotation of patients. If things go really well, they’ll get a lunch hour. If they don’t, it will [00:51:20] be a lunch break. They then at the end of the day, have to deal with all the business issues that have [00:51:25] come up during that day and get those dealt with and answered. They then go home [00:51:30] with depleted energy levels and want to show up at home because that’s why [00:51:35] they’re doing all this. They want to create a great environment and life at home, and [00:51:40] then they do the next thing again, and they don’t see how they’re doing compared to anybody else. Because [00:51:45] I spoke to you before. Oh it’s terrible. It’s really hard on this. And I look at the numbers [00:51:50] like, are you any idea how well you’re doing? You are doing. You know, I see people [00:51:55] sometimes. So the average gross for a dentist countrywide is around about [00:52:00] 250 to £300,000, something in that order. And I see people [00:52:05] who are grossing 7 or £800,000 and moaning that they’re not doing very well.

Payman Langroudi: Right? [00:52:10]

Andy Acton: Yeah, yeah. Just them in their surgery. And you you’ve no clue, have you. How, [00:52:15] how phenomenally well you’re doing. And as a profession it’s not good at [00:52:20] sharing experience. People tend to be quite it’s quite a British thing. People are quite guarded [00:52:25] about not wanting to share. They’ll share the soft stuff, they’ll share the easy things. But when it comes down to the [00:52:30] nitty gritty of how they’re doing, and we’re very fortunate because we obviously get a lot of financial data [00:52:35] that comes in and we can anonymize that and average it so we can share numbers with people. Just to let them know [00:52:40] how they’re doing. And quite often that can, that can be a weight off their shoulders because they [00:52:45] go, oh, actually, you know, I thought I was working and I was working and with no results, but I go, [00:52:50] oh, oh, actually, I’m not doing too bad. And suddenly they, they sit up a bit straighter. [00:52:55] They feel better because we’re not we’re not sharing how people are doing. And that that’s kind [00:53:00] of partly why we sort of created the principals club to put people into a community where they can speak [00:53:05] to other practice owners openly and honestly about where they’re at and what’s going on.

Payman Langroudi: Like group therapy [00:53:10] sort of thing. Kind of. Yeah. It’s interesting when you went through that list, every one of the ones you said [00:53:15] sort of resonated with me at one point in my career. So [00:53:20] do you think that sometimes, you know, I mean, I’ve certainly been in a situation [00:53:25] where for one period of time I felt like I was having. Let’s pick one [00:53:30] of them. Decision fatigue. You know, maybe I was stressed, but I felt like I got out of [00:53:35] it. So that question of, is it something that’s like a terminal? Is it something that just gets [00:53:40] worse and worse and worse and worse until they get to a point of, of being completely worn out at [00:53:45] your wit’s end? Or have you seen it turn around as well? I guess that’s what the principal does, [00:53:50] right?

Andy Acton: And, and I think with owner fatigue, I think it depends on how long you’ve [00:53:55] been suffering and how many categories are affecting you. So I think if you were [00:54:00] suffering just with decision fatigue and it’s for a few months and you said, I cannot go on like [00:54:05] this, and you turn it around, which either means in most cases that would mean [00:54:10] you put something in place to make sure that people don’t have to keep coming to you for answers [00:54:15] to the same questions. So you either have, um, some, um, standard operating procedures [00:54:20] that they can go to and go, right. I don’t need to ask Payman. Right. I do that yet. Got it. And then suddenly it’s almost [00:54:25] like exceptional reporting. People are only coming to you for the really weird things that haven’t cropped up before so [00:54:30] it can be managed. So any of these categories can be managed individually or collectively. [00:54:35] But it does come down to how many of them are affecting you, and how long has it been, [00:54:40] because there does come a point where it’s like the work required to unravel it and get back [00:54:45] to a state where you really enjoy it may or may not be something you want to do, particularly [00:54:50] depending on how long you’ve owned the practice for. So if you owned a practice for 1012 years and there [00:54:55] could be a year or two’s work to get to a point where it felt like it did when you owned it for 4 or 5 years, [00:55:00] many people just aren’t prepared to put in the hard yards to get back to [00:55:05] where they want to be. And in that case, we look at the numbers because it [00:55:10] might be the right thing to do is to sell, because what you don’t want to do is if you’re being affected [00:55:15] and it becomes acute, that will start to represent itself through the numbers. And [00:55:20] if your numbers start to decline, your value declines and are.

Payman Langroudi: A multiple [00:55:25] of that. Right?

Andy Acton: Exactly. I want everyone to exit at the peak. I [00:55:30] want people to go and buy peak. I mean, they’re still enjoying it. Their value [00:55:35] is up. They’ve got their health and there’s a life beyond ownership. I want everyone to [00:55:40] exit on those terms. I don’t want people to exit when they’re thoroughly fed up. I can see it in [00:55:45] the financials. And the fatigue has started to affect their personal health because they’ve [00:55:50] left it too.

Payman Langroudi: When we talk about the length of the cycle between meeting you [00:55:55] and the practice being sold, sometimes being up to three, four, five years, even then [00:56:00] it’s important to be able to say, look, I may be at the end of my tether in five years [00:56:05] time. Now’s a good time to get myself sales ready. So what does sales readiness look like? What [00:56:10] are the checkpoints that, you know, apart from the obvious, you know, go through the [00:56:15] obvious. So you go through the obvious. So, so.

Andy Acton: Silly things like your financial accounts need to be up [00:56:20] to date. Yes. So you have nine months to file your financial accounts from your [00:56:25] year end. Yeah. The buyer is going to need to present those accounts to the bank. Yes. So you [00:56:30] need to make sure your accounts are up to date. And the files you need to speak to your accountant and say, I’m getting myself ready. [00:56:35] We need to make sure we’re filing a little bit earlier each year [00:56:40] so that we can present those, those figures. You need to make sure that your your underlying profitability [00:56:45] and costs look good. And by that I don’t mean the year before [00:56:50] you sell. You completely drop all your marketing activity. You get an artificially inflated [00:56:55] number because that’s, that’s not going to fly. Likewise, if you just kind of deliver [00:57:00] an extraordinary amount of dentistry in the year before you sell, that’s going to be spotted. So let’s say your turnover [00:57:05] was 808, 50, 900, 1.3 million. But [00:57:10] what’s going on in that year? You know, that looks like you’ve just worked really hard to elevate [00:57:15] your profit to get to get a good exit value. There’s probably nothing left by way of dentistry to do on that [00:57:20] patient base for the incoming owner. So be smart about how you do it and run that in [00:57:25] a decent amount of time.

Payman Langroudi: And on the on the buyer side, who’s looking out for that stuff, the bank.

Andy Acton: Yeah. [00:57:30] So buyers are reasonably sophisticated. Oh yeah. They’re getting better [00:57:35] at looking at that. The bank and their broker is going to look at that on their behalf as well. Um, [00:57:40] some work with accountants, but most it’s generally through through the bank and the broker [00:57:45] side of things.

Payman Langroudi: And what else, what else on the checklist that your, your contracts with your associates, [00:57:50] your staff, the NHS and building owner.

Andy Acton: Yeah. Do those earlier than, [00:57:55] than you need because when, when you start to sell, um, we [00:58:00] spot very subtle changes in people’s behaviour. I know you fairly well. You’re [00:58:05] in a relaxed mood today. Kind of says you had a good weekend. If you weren’t, I sense [00:58:10] an anxiety from you in terms of how you are. Yeah. Teams will work with their principal for many [00:58:15] years. They spot it. So when they go into a sale process, um. Oh no, you all go, I’m just going to [00:58:20] stay back and do some work tonight. She never does that. What’s she staying back [00:58:25] for? So these slight adjustments in behaviour, people spot the reason [00:58:30] that the principal’s staying back was to get some paperwork together. Whereas if you did that over three, four, six [00:58:35] months, a little bit here, a little bit there, that’s much better. But to your point about contacts. Absolutely. By [00:58:40] law, you need employment contracts with everybody in the business anyway. So make [00:58:45] sure you’ve got those in place and make sure they’re updated. Employment law changes at a [00:58:50] rapid rate. So to make sure those are up to date, make sure you have, um, self-employed [00:58:55] contracts in place with your associates, therapists and hygienists, all the other [00:59:00] service contracts you have in place. If you’ve got things in place for your, your suction motor, your compressor, any [00:59:05] digital tech. Make sure those are in place.

Andy Acton: Look at any long term [00:59:10] contracts that you have as well. So if you have, um, a long term contract, say [00:59:15] your telephone company, so you had a contract in place with them and, and you signed [00:59:20] into a five year contract, and that was three years ago. If you’re looking to sell in three years time, [00:59:25] you probably don’t want to sign a new five year contract at the end of that one, because then someone’s [00:59:30] going to be taken over a four year contract that they might not want to do, and you might have to buy yourself out of it. [00:59:35] So like, try and have a line of sight beyond where you are on the, on [00:59:40] the property side of things. If it’s a freehold, you know where the deeds are, find the deeds. If it’s [00:59:45] a leasehold. Do you have your, your, your lease? Look at your lease and think about the remaining term [00:59:50] of your lease. So a bank will lend you the money as a buyer [00:59:55] over the remaining terms of the years on the lease. So what that looks like in reality [01:00:00] is I own the practice and I signed a 15 year lease and I signed [01:00:05] that lease seven years ago. So you as the buyer now have eight years [01:00:10] remaining on the lease. So what that means is the bank, who’s going to lend you the money to buy the practice will [01:00:15] most likely only lend you the money over eight years.

Andy Acton: So what that’s going to do is that’s going to compress [01:00:20] the ability for you to borrow money, because it’s going to have to be repaid over a short period of time. [01:00:25] However, if I had a 15 year lease, I’m seven years through the years. There’s [01:00:30] eight years to go and I want to sell. Next year, I might be able to go to my landlord now and say, I’m [01:00:35] just looking and thinking about making some investment in my practice and expanding it. But to do that, [01:00:40] I’m going to need to borrow some money and I’m going to go to the bank to borrow some money. But what the bank are going to really be looking [01:00:45] for would be a 15 year lease. Would you be against extending my lease out now out [01:00:50] to 15 years? Because that would really help me. Landlords are probably going to be like, yeah, sure, no problem at all. Because [01:00:55] a dental practice as a covenant is a really low risk tenant. So why wouldn’t you do that? [01:01:00] But what I’ve now got is I’ve now got a 15 year lease. So when I sell my practice next year, I’ve got 14 [01:01:05] years to run. You can borrow the money over 14 years. Your repayment is now stretched [01:01:10] over 14 years. It looks much better.

Payman Langroudi: But it’s interesting.

Andy Acton: To do these things. [01:01:15] You need to have a longer line of sight than ring me and say I want to sell. So there’s, there’s and [01:01:20] you know, find your NHS contract. Um, if there’s any, any amendments [01:01:25] to it. Have you got the amendment documentation, the amount of people who literally cannot find [01:01:30] the documentation relating to NHS contract, which I get because you know, we laugh about the new NHS [01:01:35] contract but but it was coming up for 20 years ago. So people just don’t know where this documentation [01:01:40] is. If you can start to line all that up. You’re going to be well ahead.

Payman Langroudi: You [01:01:45] said you don’t. People don’t like to see huge cliffs drop offs in cost. But [01:01:50] do you do you say would you say to kind of taper down your costs over [01:01:55] a period of years so that you know, your cost base looks lower and your, your if [01:02:00] it looks higher?

Andy Acton: Yeah, if you can. And there’s no material impact on your business. So [01:02:05] if you’ve been heavily investing in digital marketing campaigns, say, and you’ve [01:02:10] just been paying them, it’s just been recurring and you’ve not really monitored the success [01:02:15] of those. And they’re not performing. Sure. Why wouldn’t you? You know, drop drop out some meta [01:02:20] ads or if the SEO has been working in the background, but you’re not sure it’s having an effect, it would make [01:02:25] sense to, to wind those down. But I always take the view that in business, you [01:02:30] can only ever trim your costs so much to improve profit before it [01:02:35] shows up somewhere. And by that I mean the quality of what you deliver, the quality of [01:02:40] the team who work in the business. I would much favour growth on the top end, so go for more [01:02:45] income and then the costs. They don’t take care of themselves, but you, you’ll be less bothered [01:02:50] about them. But there could be things in their materials, you know, do you have a [01:02:55] a policy for managing materials? Do you rotate stock? Is somebody targeted to [01:03:00] buy materials? Are you looking for discounts? There’s now people out there that will help [01:03:05] you with procurement to get discounts. Are you looking at those things? Um, one thing that sometimes [01:03:10] people do, which is, um, it’s well-intentioned, but it’s foolish [01:03:15] is they give everybody a nice pay rise before they sell. So they say, my team are very loyal. [01:03:20] They’ve been with me for many years. So I’m going to give everybody a ten a 10% [01:03:25] pay rise. So let’s say that the salary costs are £300,000. What you’ve done [01:03:30] is you’ve then increased that to £330,000. That £30,000 increase [01:03:35] if.

Payman Langroudi: Seven x.

Andy Acton: If you’ve got A7X on that, you just wipe 200 grand off the [01:03:40] value of your business. So whilst it’s when in tension.

Payman Langroudi: So what should I do? I should sell the business [01:03:45] and then pay them.

Andy Acton: Pay them a bonus.

Payman Langroudi: A bonus.

Andy Acton: Paid. So don’t, don’t [01:03:50] play with the salaries. Leave. Leave them as they are. If the owner wants to do something completely up to them. [01:03:55] But your underlying profit hasn’t been impacted. If when you sell from your sale proceeds, [01:04:00] if you’d like to say thank you to your team and make a payment to them entirely up to you, they still [01:04:05] benefit financially.

Payman Langroudi: What’s the tax implications?

Andy Acton: Oh, absolutely.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Andy Acton: Yeah for sure. [01:04:10] And that’s the other thing. You should seek Um, financial advice, either from a financial advisor or [01:04:15] your accountant before you go into the process. Because as a business owner, there’s certain relief that [01:04:20] you get the benefit from. So things like making pension contributions. If you’ve worked in the NHS [01:04:25] a lot, you’ve probably got quite a nice NHS pension and you might not need to add [01:04:30] anything to it. But if you’ve worked primarily in the private sector, quite often people haven’t [01:04:35] made a great pension contribution. But as a business owner you can make company [01:04:40] pension contributions and lots of people now operate as through limited companies. So if [01:04:45] you’ve got some spare cash and profit in your business, why wouldn’t you use that to enhance your [01:04:50] pension pot prior to selling? Because once you’ve sold and you no longer own a business, that that ability is gone. [01:04:55] But again, it’s a bit like looking at those those long term contracts [01:05:00] you’ve got in place. If you do that now, you can make those contributions [01:05:05] and then you can sell your business. And all this comes back to, I would love to speak to people [01:05:10] 3 to 5 years before they sell because it’s going to take them a year to sell. So that’s four years. [01:05:15] It gives me a couple of years to have a look at what they’re doing and get them prepared. In terms of, [01:05:20] is your documentation in place? Can we improve your financial performance? And then we go into the process [01:05:25] that that would be perfect.

Payman Langroudi: You know, I want to point two things out to you. Yeah. Number one, the [01:05:30] general knowledge around business of the population, [01:05:35] the population, not not just dentists. Yeah. And [01:05:40] where should these lessons be taught? You know, because some people say, oh, look at dental [01:05:45] school. There should be a section that says business principles. Yeah. But for [01:05:50] me, what I’ve really become really clear on now is that it should be taught at school. [01:05:55] And I, and the reason I say that is, you know, when you watch your kids watch [01:06:00] my son go through A-level, further maths. Yeah, it’s very [01:06:05] complicated subject, very complicated. Any A-level is It’s very complicated. [01:06:10] Yeah. And yet the question of how do I get a mortgage? How do I [01:06:15] get a loan? Fixed costs, um, non-fixed costs. And much of [01:06:20] the stuff you’ve just gone through right now never gets taught at all. [01:06:25]

Andy Acton: No.

Payman Langroudi: To any to any part of the population. And then were you, as a finance professional, [01:06:30] find all this stuff quite obvious? It rolls off your tongue. Now, on the other side of it, [01:06:35] the second thing I want to point out to you is when you are a dentist, it’s amazing how [01:06:40] literally you’ve got half an hour in a day, like, look, me and you, we [01:06:45] both have businesses, you know, thank goodness I’m I’m not a dentist anymore, but [01:06:50] but the something comes up. Let’s say there’s a recruitment question. [01:06:55] Your, your right hand, uh, lady is moving to Dubai. Now you need to find someone [01:07:00] new. Um, something regulatory comes up with the financial services Authority. In [01:07:05] my world, I’ve got loads of regulatory issues. Something comes up. Yeah, I [01:07:10] could dedicate the whole of today, tomorrow and the day after to fixing that problem. If I want to. Yeah, a dentist [01:07:15] can’t. Nope. Dentists can’t. It’s 9 a.m., 8:38 a.m.. Patient. Yeah. [01:07:20] And zero breaks until the end of that day. And so, you [01:07:25] know, the don’t work six days a week as a dentist [01:07:30] and have at least one day. You know, like admin time. [01:07:35] And in that one day, educate yourself, right?

Andy Acton: Oh for sure. I mean, to your to your [01:07:40] first point, I, I completely, 100% agree. I think the fact that [01:07:45] we don’t teach young people anything about, um, money and [01:07:50] business type things at school is a travesty. I think now, um, [01:07:55] the world’s changing where most people are going to have 3 or 4 different careers. [01:08:00] Lots of people have, um, work they do on the side, you know, whether [01:08:05] it’s, uh, an Etsy tick tock type thing, but they have things in that capacity. [01:08:10]

Payman Langroudi: For a property business.

Andy Acton: Exactly. So I think the fact that people just don’t understand how the [01:08:15] world works at a very basic level, you know, um, [01:08:20] stupid things like tax. Yeah. Um, silly things like, [01:08:25] um, the different ways that you can own a business. It’s very, very basic [01:08:30] stuff, but just giving people an understanding. I think it should be um a school, [01:08:35] school, school level school.

Payman Langroudi: They go into depth in school in lots of ways. Yeah. So, [01:08:40] so there is, there’s some scope for.

Andy Acton: And even if it started as an after school [01:08:45] club. Yeah. I think there would be, um, a thirst for it. I think people would like to know that. I [01:08:50] think it then gets um, worse for dentists because [01:08:55] if you’re at school, you’re needing to choose the right GCSEs to [01:09:00] do the right A-levels, to get the right points to go to the right dental school. So you’ve decided [01:09:05] this when you were probably 13, 14, 15 years old. So you’re [01:09:10] now getting quite narrow in where you’re going. And then you go into dental school and you’re [01:09:15] now purely just dealing with with teeth. And then you come out of dental school. [01:09:20] And then what happens is you immediately become a high earner.

Payman Langroudi: So you reliant [01:09:25] on that.

Andy Acton: Then you’ve had blinkers put on and you’ve really focussed on this [01:09:30] one specific thing that then pays you really well. But nobody ever said you’re [01:09:35] going to have to pay some tax at some point. The amount of young dentists I see who go, oh, [01:09:40] who’s this brown envelope from? No, seriously, I kid you not, they did not [01:09:45] know they had to pay tax. And because of the nature of how it falls, the tax [01:09:50] falls after the event. And quite often they might have been earning for a year, 18 months, two years before it [01:09:55] actually truly catches up. And then they get a tax bill for several thousand pounds. And [01:10:00] life being what it is. Um, the majority of people spend about 97% of what they earn. [01:10:05] So there’s no money, there’s no money left over. So now you’re on the back foot and [01:10:10] people don’t have savings. You know, Lloyds Bank did a survey several years ago. Now I think nationally [01:10:15] the national average savings in the UK I think was £1,500. People [01:10:20] do not hold on to cash. They spend it from an economy point of view is good. We want it put back in the economy. [01:10:25] But for young people that don’t understand this, that’s a real a real problem. So [01:10:30] it should absolutely be taught at Dental school stage. And for [01:10:35] dentists it gets worse. But to your secondary point about running a business, this [01:10:40] creates a stress in itself. And I always say if someone’s going to be owning and running a business quite [01:10:45] often in the early days, it’s hard for them to do anything less than four clinical days [01:10:50] because.

Payman Langroudi: That’s just the reality.

Andy Acton: It’s just the reality. They’ve kind of they’ve got to pay the bank loan. [01:10:55] They’ve got to cover costs. They want to maintain a lifestyle. So they have. But the sooner they can get down [01:11:00] to something like 3 or 3 and a half days to better. Because you know what you put into running [01:11:05] your ventures, you know, it’s not a day and a half, two day a week job. But [01:11:10] what we’re kind of saying to a dentist is if they’re working for clinical days a week, and let’s say [01:11:15] they could just do it in a day and a half, that means that’s five and a half days. So they’re going to get Saturday [01:11:20] afternoon and Sunday off. That’s it. And that’s for everything. That’s for [01:11:25] anything that came up in their life personal, improving the business because [01:11:30] the day and a half is just running the business. It’s not growing the business. And and that that doesn’t make any sense. That [01:11:35] doesn’t work. Um, so yeah, you, you need a system that enables you [01:11:40] to only be locked away in your surgery for ideally three, three and a half days [01:11:45] to allow you time. And it’s having the confidence of if I invest time on my business [01:11:50] and I’m not going to surgery, can I add value to my business beyond my hourly [01:11:55] rate as a dentist? And in the early days, the answer to that might might not be yes.

Andy Acton: And [01:12:00] for people who are thinking about buying a dental practice in the future, I’d say [01:12:05] start investing in your skills now. Start going on communications courses, interpersonal [01:12:10] skills. Start understanding strategic marketing, advertising, how to manage people. [01:12:15] Because if you can start to get those in your kitbag now, suddenly you’ve got you’ve got [01:12:20] a skill stack. So then when you step out of the surgery, you’ve got a framework to how to manage [01:12:25] other people. Because ideally, when you’re out of surgery, you’ve got to say a team of 12 [01:12:30] people. Let’s imagine if you could, by working with those people, you could improve all of those [01:12:35] people by 10%. Yeah, that’s going to be greater than you would have achieved in the surgery. But you need [01:12:40] to have the confidence to step out of the surgery to do that, because then the whole business elevates [01:12:45] and also the business elevates. It’s not like you’re doing more per hour [01:12:50] in your surgery because in the short term, that’s great, but you need a business because [01:12:55] otherwise all you’ve done is you’ve just got another job. You were an associate, and now you’ve got another job [01:13:00] in a surgery, in a practice you own. That’s not it’s not really a business, is it?

Payman Langroudi: How about if I’m buying [01:13:05] a practice and I don’t understand how to read a financial report or profit and loss and all that? [01:13:10] Have you got guys who can translate those for dentists or. Yeah. So I [01:13:15] don’t need to go as as a buyer. I don’t need to go and learn that aspect.

Andy Acton: So [01:13:20] there’s a few things you can do. So we, we actually run a thing called a buyer’s masterclass, which is a one day course [01:13:25] where we go through things like that. We talk them through like step by step. A profit and loss statement [01:13:30] is a page of numbers. And if you’ve never seen one, it’s a bit overwhelming. It’s like most things in life, once [01:13:35] it gets broken down, it’s not that complicated. Like it literally is as simple as [01:13:40] there’s a big number at the top.

Payman Langroudi: The brackets mean a loss. Yeah.

Andy Acton: But the big number at the top [01:13:45] is income. Yeah. You’ve then got a big list and they’ve already expenses. Yeah. And you total [01:13:50] those up and take them away from the big number which is income. And that’s the bit that’s left over. And [01:13:55] if the bit left over is a blank number. You’ve made money. If it’s a red number or it’s in brackets, [01:14:00] you’ve lost money. It really is as simple as that. It gets way more detailed in terms of [01:14:05] the analysis of those numbers. But going back to your point about nobody [01:14:10] ever tells young people this, it’s completely reasonable and acceptable that they don’t [01:14:15] understand it. And I think sometimes you kind of get to a certain stage in life as an adult where you’re [01:14:20] expected to know certain things. So quite often dentists who are buying practices, [01:14:25] they ask questions because they think they should be asking those sorts of questions, but [01:14:30] they don’t really understand the structure of financial accounts. So we explain that, and [01:14:35] a good finance broker and the bank will also help you understand it as well. And it’s not it’s [01:14:40] not just understanding it. So you can buy a business. Once you’ve bought a business, you [01:14:45] really need to know what’s going on. You know, there’s a thing with the management called grip. Grip [01:14:50] is knowing those numbers in your business. So I bet you know there’s certain metrics [01:14:55] in your business that you know. Yeah. You know. You know who your top few customers are, you know, [01:15:00] roughly what they spend, you know, roughly what stock you’ve got, you.

Payman Langroudi: Know, roughly understand what’s going on.

Andy Acton: Yeah, [01:15:05] exactly. And a Dental business owner, they need to know that as well. Um, but [01:15:10] you you don’t know where to start if you don’t understand the numbers and [01:15:15] which are the ones that are really critical that you’ve got.

Payman Langroudi: Because there’s a problem about too many KPIs, right? And [01:15:20] one’s sometimes you get a KPI that you even can’t do anything about or don’t do anything about. What [01:15:25] would you say if I say the three key KPIs to keep looking at in the business?

Andy Acton: So [01:15:30] I think it depends what sort of practice you are. Yeah. Um, but for me, I think [01:15:35] new patients is really important.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. Important to the health of the business. [01:15:40]

Andy Acton: Exactly. You need a flow of new business coming in. I think you need to [01:15:45] understand your your recall system, because if you’ve got loads of new patients and [01:15:50] they’re not coming back, you’ve got a hole in your bucket. So I think you need to understand your your recoil system and what [01:15:55] what that looks like. And I think the third one is sickness.

Payman Langroudi: Sickness?

Andy Acton: Yeah. [01:16:00]

Payman Langroudi: What do.

Andy Acton: You mean? I think if you’ve got a high rate of sickness, there’s something wrong in the business.

Payman Langroudi: Your [01:16:05] personal.

Andy Acton: Yeah. As in. As in your team.

Payman Langroudi: Oh.

Andy Acton: I think your team. I think you look at the [01:16:10] sickness level of your team.

Payman Langroudi: Well, that’s interesting.

Andy Acton: Because I think.

Payman Langroudi: People are trying to stay away from the practice.

Andy Acton: I think [01:16:15] that’s a really good indicator of how people feel about coming to work.

Payman Langroudi: That’s interesting. [01:16:20] I was expecting you to say that.

Andy Acton: Yeah, that’s a general business thing. Yeah. But I think you also need. [01:16:25] So if you were a, um, a very heavy, uh, clear [01:16:30] aligner type practice. Yeah, your metrics might be different. Yeah. Yeah, [01:16:35] exactly. So I think, I think, and as a rule, I’m not a massive [01:16:40] fan of KPIs. When you see these reports that go on for pages and pages. No one is reading it. [01:16:45] Not even the person that produced it is reading it. So no one is reading it. So if you can distil [01:16:50] your business down to 2 or 3 things. So in my finance one. [01:16:55]

Payman Langroudi: Well, so.

Andy Acton: I was going to say. So in my finance business, the finance arranges finance for dentists. [01:17:00] We arrange about £200 million a year. We measure one thing the [01:17:05] number of deals we send to a bank in a given month.

Payman Langroudi: You [01:17:10] know from that number how the health of the business is.

Andy Acton: I know from that. I know what [01:17:15] the approval rate of the banks are. I know what the average deal size is. I know how many trees [01:17:20] we had to shake to get that number. And we’ve worked out that’s the one thing we measure. [01:17:25] And as long as that number is within a band, everything fixes itself.

Payman Langroudi: I love that. [01:17:30]

Andy Acton: We’ve got one metric and genuinely, I think there’s a it bothers me a little bit that we’re moving into a realm, [01:17:35] particularly with some of the, um, the financial dashboards that are available. And I’ve spoken [01:17:40] to some of the guys creating them about it. I said, we need to be really careful that we just don’t produce [01:17:45] loads of data and loads of reports and put it in front of the client because they will not read it. [01:17:50] We need to really drill in and find out what are the couple of things they really [01:17:55] need to know. And if that number goes up or down, the impact it has on their business, and [01:18:00] that’s where I think we need to get to. But there’s a danger because it’s becoming easier and easier to access data. [01:18:05] We’re going to drown people in data, but no one’s reading it.

Payman Langroudi: You mentioned Randeep. I think [01:18:10] AI is going to make a difference there you know. Yes. Ai another two three years and [01:18:15] you’ll literally be able to ask it questions about that profit and loss statement. Like good [01:18:20] questions. You know I want to finish it with kind of a quick fire round. [01:18:25] Um, what’s your favourite business book?

Andy Acton: It’s [01:18:30] not an obvious one. Um, it’s, it is business, but it’s [01:18:35] more about life. It’s called greenlights by Matthew McConaughey.

Payman Langroudi: Oh really? Okay.

Andy Acton: And [01:18:40] it’s more, um, philosophy, but the overarching principle [01:18:45] and why it’s called green lights is it’s, um, it’s almost kind of a diary of his life, but he talks [01:18:50] about things that happen in his life. Um, some good, some bad. But the point about [01:18:55] it is, is if something goes wrong, it still might be a green light. And I [01:19:00] think in life and in business, quite often, we’re very quick to draw conclusions on whether things go well [01:19:05] or not because something didn’t go well in that moment. It, it still might [01:19:10] be a green light because it might lead you on to something else. And it’s really helped me because [01:19:15] in business, you know, it’s very easy to talk about your successes, but we have failures as well. But quite often [01:19:20] it’s the failures that you really dwell on and you think about and you say, well, why didn’t that work? [01:19:25] How could we do it again? And it was a really good book in helping you reframe that [01:19:30] whilst you think it was bad news. It might not be because [01:19:35] it might lead you onto onto something else, which is.

Payman Langroudi: You’ve got an example in your own business like that where [01:19:40] that’s.

Andy Acton: Yeah. I mean, in the early days, um, we came up with a service [01:19:45] for dental practice owners, which was kind of a very early [01:19:50] days buying group. And we negotiated with lots of suppliers [01:19:55] and we said, you know, will you provide a discount? And they said, yes, we will. We’ll provide a discount and we’ll provide you with [01:20:00] with, you know, 10% on this and 15% on that. It’s brilliant. So we had this, this service we produced and [01:20:05] we went out to people and, and we offered them discounts. And then we realised that quite early on that, um, [01:20:10] because we did some mystery shop coding, we called some of the suppliers and we said, what’s the best deal you can do? [01:20:15] And they were offering direct better discounts than they’d given us and told us it was [01:20:20] an exclusive. We’re like, right, okay. So, so in that moment, all the work that had gone into designing [01:20:25] this and it was time and cost and everything else, um, was a complete waste of time [01:20:30] because we were being screwed over by them offering better, better deals directly. So that [01:20:35] was, was, was kind of a red light because it stopped and it died. However, as a result [01:20:40] of what we’re doing many years later, the deals we strike with people that we have partnerships [01:20:45] with look way different than they would have before. If we hadn’t have gone through that process, [01:20:50] we would have known that what goes on in the back end, which is [01:20:55] quite useful. So and that was a that was a 20 year old, that was a 20 year old lesson. And back then [01:21:00] it was something that really hurt because we put a lot, a lot of work into it. Yet now [01:21:05] building the principals club, it’s being built very differently because we now know that we want things from [01:21:10] people that genuinely are of value and genuinely can’t be found somewhere else.

Payman Langroudi: Who would you [01:21:15] say is the big business influence for you? It’s [01:21:20] someone you admire. In business.

Andy Acton: I admire a lot. [01:21:25] Walt Disney.

Payman Langroudi: Oh yeah.

Andy Acton: Walt Disney.

Payman Langroudi: Experience. Experiential.

Andy Acton: Yeah [01:21:30] it is. And I think it’s easy to see, um, the things that he’s done now [01:21:35] through kind of 20, 25 eyes, but he was kind of doing [01:21:40] this stuff back in the 60s. Yeah. And I just think that.

Payman Langroudi: It’s an incredible point, that one.

Andy Acton: Yeah. And [01:21:45] it’s easy when you see things today and you’re like, yeah, sure. Yeah, yeah. But his [01:21:50] whole concept of trying to create an experience and an event [01:21:55] and it being structured in a way which meant it was so accessible, [01:22:00] was, was a powerful thing. And he would go all [01:22:05] in on everything. Like the, the guy literally was on the verge of going bust for most of his life, [01:22:10] right? Oh, he was there was no, there was never a plan B, he went in and everything, but [01:22:15] I just his whole concept when he opened his theme parks. Is this like one price [01:22:20] you go in, you access it all because prior to that, the, the, [01:22:25] the amusement experience was you turned up and you paid for [01:22:30] every individual ride. And he was saying for the average family, he didn’t like the fact that that was a really expensive [01:22:35] way and it was limiting. And he said, why can’t we have a system where you kind of pay [01:22:40] and everybody gets access to it so that as a as a principal, I love the idea of how do you make [01:22:45] things more available to to other people. But he was a real pioneer.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, the incredible [01:22:50] IP as well, right? Yeah. When you think about how old is it? When was [01:22:55] it 40s. 30. When was it?

Andy Acton: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck came out. Yeah yeah yeah. And then if [01:23:00] today you said to me, I’ve managed to do a brand deal collab with Disney [01:23:05] for sticking Mickey Mouse on a Dental mirror or something. I’d be like, wow. And we’re [01:23:10] like 60 years old, 80 years on from that initial cartoon. Yeah, the [01:23:15] IP is amazing.

Andy Acton: Oh, and they, they have a thing where for, for new people that [01:23:20] join the Disney company. I don’t know if they still do it, but they had a thing where for the first five days, [01:23:25] you basically went on a course and it was called traditions. And they just talked about, [01:23:30] you know, the family, the heritage, the how they do things, the way they do things. But [01:23:35] the business is still, it’s still a massive business and it’s still rolling based on, [01:23:40] those early foundations. And that kind of goes back to that kind of culture that it can [01:23:45] transcend generations. But you need.

Payman Langroudi: Company. Yeah, but good to great.

Andy Acton: Yeah. Yeah, [01:23:50] exactly. But you need to put it in, in, in the early days when, when people buy [01:23:55] an existing business. Don’t, don’t throw it in the bin like the [01:24:00] what’s already been created. There’s some really good stuff in there. And going back to that, that situation [01:24:05] where too much was changed too soon. It’s about trying to work out well, what are the really good things [01:24:10] and how do I build on the good things? You know, that that how do I get it from good to great? And [01:24:15] it should be a compounding effect of lots of good things happening.

Payman Langroudi: I think [01:24:20] one of the things I took from good to great was that, you know, to even when you when [01:24:25] it hurts you to improve, you know, and, and so many [01:24:30] times that comes up with us, you know, like we’re trying to take the latest version of enlightened, trying [01:24:35] to take 80% of the plastic we’ve taken out of it. Right? And that was [01:24:40] so painful. I can’t tell you how painful that was. You know, because just to make a trade case. Yeah. [01:24:45] Out of aluminium. Yeah. When there’s thousands of plastic ones, you could just call, call [01:24:50] a guy in Italy and he’ll send you 10,000 with your logo on it. Now we’re making a brand [01:24:55] new thing. Yeah, but but that notion of sometimes progress is going to hurt. [01:25:00] Often it’s going to hurt. But but you know, to keep to do it to do it. Yeah. The [01:25:05] thing is.

Andy Acton: Quite often in those situations, it’s going to hurt in the short term. Yeah. But if you [01:25:10] don’t do it, the hurt in the long term.

Payman Langroudi: Exactly, exactly. That’s the reason. Yeah. [01:25:15] What about Dental Leaders who’ve inspired you? I mean, whether it’s dentists, whether [01:25:20] it’s the industry as a whole who stands out as people who’ve inspired you as [01:25:25] like sort of good stories, good people.

Andy Acton: I think there’s, there’s probably, [01:25:30] I mean, they’re sort of fallen into different categories. Uh, I think somebody [01:25:35] who always has an eye on trying to better the profession is Drew Sharp? [01:25:40] I think Dentinal tubules. I think the work he does there um at [01:25:45] times I think for him it feels like he’s pushing water uphill. I think he feels like he’s trying to do something that [01:25:50] not a lot of other people are trying to do. But I’ve been to their conferences. I’ve been fortunate [01:25:55] to sit in some of their kind of educational sessions. He brings a different a different [01:26:00] sort of energy. And it’s funny because one of the very first events I went to was down in Brighton. It’s one of the Congress, [01:26:05] and he’d invited me down and I kind of worked hard to kind of get to know people across dentistry. And I walked [01:26:10] into a room of 200 people, and I looked around and I thought, I don’t know anybody in this room. Like, [01:26:15] what are you what are you doing? Who are you drawing into this room that [01:26:20] is different from the sort of people that I meet on a week by week basis. And he [01:26:25] brought in people who, um, were very keen, um, [01:26:30] to develop themselves and develop clinically. And I think that’s a slightly different [01:26:35] set to what lots of other people are doing. So I think that that side of things I think is, is [01:26:40] quite incredible. Um, I think from the, the business side of things, [01:26:45] um, someone that I admire a lot and, and kind [01:26:50] of pushes and pushes hard and does it quite openly is love and [01:26:55] love again as well.

Payman Langroudi: And I like.

Andy Acton: Love. So he’s just opened his sunny hill practice and the, [01:27:00] the care and the attention and bringing people on the journey is, [01:27:05] is great. And also he’s got chairside running, running as well.

Payman Langroudi: I love that.

Andy Acton: He, he does [01:27:10] it, um, in quite a different way. He’s not your typical dentist [01:27:15] in terms of how he goes about it. Um, and I like that, I like the way [01:27:20] he does it. Um, and he shares what he’s doing genuinely [01:27:25] for the betterment of the profession. But from a business, from a business perspective.

Payman Langroudi: They call [01:27:30] it building public, right? Yeah. But what I love about him is the humility he has when he comes and asks the question. [01:27:35] And there’s a real humility in it. You know, in, in, in this industry, [01:27:40] you can get hubris. Yes. Yeah. And someone like him could [01:27:45] he could be sort of, you know, raised a few million pounds. Chairside. He’s yeah, known [01:27:50] quite well around, but the humility is like 100% humility. It’s a beautiful thing. Yeah. [01:27:55] You know, and then in that situation, you you want to share with him as well? Yeah.

Andy Acton: Yeah. And [01:28:00] that building public when you do it looking through the rear view mirror, it’s really cool. But [01:28:05] when you’re doing it in real time, you don’t know how it’s going to play out. Yeah. There was a, there was a program on [01:28:10] Netflix many years ago, um, about the football team. Sunderland and Sunderland were [01:28:15] in the Premiership and they got demoted to the championship and they did a fly on the wall documentary [01:28:20] called Sunderland Til I die. And what they thought they were going to be filming was their bounce back into [01:28:25] the Premiership. What they actually filmed was a further demotion from the Championship to [01:28:30] League One. So that whole thing about, you know, doing it in real time, I think they genuinely [01:28:35] thought it was going to be this, this amazing story of bouncing straight back up and actually went down [01:28:40] a further leg. The pain for the city of Sunderland, who are passionate bunch [01:28:45] of people was was unbearable. And whilst it made great viewing [01:28:50] you doing things like that in real time, there’s always risk attached to it. So I think whenever you you play [01:28:55] it out and you never quite know what the ending is going to be, it brings an edge that just makes it from [01:29:00] a viewers point of view, makes it makes it quite interesting. And my last person you Payman.

Payman Langroudi: Let me.

Andy Acton: Know [01:29:05] because no, seriously, you want to gloss over this because you’ll get embarrassed. But but but genuinely, [01:29:10] we used to do our podcast ontology and you’ve got your businesses, but [01:29:15] when you started Dental Leaders, you sat down with me and you were like, you should do this. You know, it would be [01:29:20] really good fun. There aren’t many people doing it, and it would have been easy for somebody who’d [01:29:25] kind of cornered that market and had a niche to have just carried on doing that. And not only [01:29:30] sure. You literally gave me the playbook on what to do, which was completely [01:29:35] unnecessary. But that that, that shows how you are in that we [01:29:40] can all do well. It’s that whole adage, isn’t it, that imagine if there was one star in the sky, how dark the sky [01:29:45] would be, the.

Payman Langroudi: Scarcity.

Andy Acton: The fact there’s.

Payman Langroudi: Billions.

Andy Acton: Of stars up there, the sky looks beautiful [01:29:50] and you are very generous.

Payman Langroudi: Didn’t expect you to say that.

Andy Acton: No, no, but I know you’re trying to shut [01:29:55] me down and you’re trying to edit it out this episode, and you’re not allowed to, but genuinely you are. And there’s [01:30:00] you and I haven’t. There are lots of people who have that. [01:30:05] And it just shows that dentistry.

Payman Langroudi: This is a friendly community. It’s full of good people. [01:30:10] We’re very lucky in that sense.

Andy Acton: Yeah, it’s full of good people.

Payman Langroudi: At the same time, it’s a small world. Yes. And people [01:30:15] need to understand that too. Yeah. If you do something untoward in dentistry, it’s very [01:30:20] likely the whole community will find out. And so, you know, it’s a double edged sword, but. [01:30:25]

Andy Acton: It is it’s, it’s an ecosystem. And actually we all need to do well. Yeah, [01:30:30] because if any, because it’s actually a relatively small market. Very small. And if [01:30:35] any part of it wobbled or fractured or broke, we’ve got a problem. So yeah. [01:30:40] So banks, if if the banks suddenly didn’t love dentistry anymore. Yeah. Yeah. That [01:30:45] stifles growth. If people didn’t feel confident in buying practice. We’ve got a problem. If [01:30:50] um one of the larger corporates suffered a problem, the ripple effect of that [01:30:55] through the the money world would be unbearable. Yeah. There are lots of. So whilst [01:31:00] for me, you know, we talked about kind of the corporate and independent side of things. And I’m not, I’m not anti-corporate, [01:31:05] I’m just pro independent. But we, we [01:31:10] need every element of, of the profession to do well. And we should, we should [01:31:15] be looking out for one another. You know, there is enough business to go around, but we should be looking out for one another to make sure [01:31:20] that as a as a collective, as a sector, everyone’s being supported [01:31:25] because we, we all we all get elevated when good things happen.

Payman Langroudi: I think, you know, it’s it’s [01:31:30] a very common story, right? If the practice runs out of something, they’ll run over to the practice across [01:31:35] the road and and invariably they’ll get that thing, they’ll lend them because, you know, we’ve all been the same [01:31:40] thing with course organisers. You know, when some engine motor doesn’t turn up, I [01:31:45] call up a competitor in terms of courses and say, can you help? And they will. They [01:31:50] will help. So it’s super important.

Andy Acton: I think it struck me that during Covid, the amount of practices [01:31:55] when they had their PPE went round to their local hospital and just donated their [01:32:00] PPE.

Payman Langroudi: Um, the other thing, do you think when dentists don’t have to turn up every day from eight [01:32:05] till six? Do you remember the amount of content that came out of dentistry? You know, [01:32:10] the dentists are capable people. Yeah. They’re just so busy doing dentistry. Yeah, [01:32:15] that’s the thing.

Andy Acton: Yeah, it’s a very it’s a very time intensive time. Hungary. [01:32:20] But but personal thing, you, you you work with your hands.

Payman Langroudi: Let’s finish it with the final [01:32:25] question from your podcast.

Andy Acton: What for you?

Payman Langroudi: For you.

Andy Acton: For me? [01:32:30]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. Because your, your podcast used to end with if you had a fly on the wall moment.

Andy Acton: A fly on [01:32:35] the wall moment, where.

Payman Langroudi: Which moment would you want to be the fly on the wall?

Andy Acton: I’d [01:32:40] probably like to be in [01:32:45] the changing room when Manchester United won the [01:32:50] treble, so they won the Champions League final and they were.

Payman Langroudi: Are you a big fan? [01:32:55]

Andy Acton: Yeah, yeah, I support them. I’m at the wrong end of the country, but I, I support [01:33:00] them. There’s been good decades and not so good decades. But I’d love to have been back in that changing [01:33:05] room when they were all but out of it. And then two very late goals [01:33:10] came in just to feel the energy and the mood. I think as [01:33:15] a as a, a person manager, I think Fergie’s unbelievable. I [01:33:20] think trying to manage those egos and testosterone and everything else. [01:33:25] Oh, they are, they’re incredibly well paid, but just children.

Payman Langroudi: You know, I was [01:33:30] I was in a bar in Cardiff. My friend, he’s a massive big player in Cardiff. Not not football, [01:33:35] just a big player. And he said oh look that kid, that kid, that kid. The Cardiff just [01:33:40] paid £2 million for him or something. I’m looking at him, he’s like literally as a teenager. [01:33:45] It’s wild. He’s a teenager. Yeah. And so like, you know, you’re having to manage that [01:33:50] situation as well as a child. Crazy millionaire child. Yeah.

Andy Acton: But [01:33:55] I’d love to have felt what that what that would have been like in that moment. You know, something that, um, [01:34:00] kind of had never been done in the modern era. And just to see how that [01:34:05] those group of people, how they react to that because quite often you hear.

Payman Langroudi: The troubles, the league, the [01:34:10] FA Cup and the European Cup.

Andy Acton: Uefa Champions League. Yeah, I remember that.

Payman Langroudi: But but but.

Andy Acton: Because it’s funny [01:34:15] because um, Jonny Wilkinson famously kicked um the goal when [01:34:20] England beat Australia to win the World Cup. Um, many, many years ago, back in the [01:34:25] early 2000. And he says that the, the feeling of that, the feeling [01:34:30] of that success had gone by the time he hit the changing room. So we assume it lives these [01:34:35] these moments of glory live forever. But it would just be interesting to know that [01:34:40] when they got back into the changing room.

Payman Langroudi: Well, well, well, you know, the difference between a [01:34:45] great sportsman and a good sportsman is, you know, like, uh, sometimes [01:34:50] you’ll watch a tennis player and he’s like, match point down and then he [01:34:55] might serve an ace. Yeah, yeah. And it is, you know, like, you know, you can’t get high [01:35:00] on the highs. And at the same time, you can’t get low on the lows because [01:35:05] that’s what makes them great that they can delete what just happened. And the next rally [01:35:10] is a brand new rally. You know, me and you have difficulty separating. So I’m sure [01:35:15] actually that, you know, the opposite effect happens as well.

Andy Acton: A very narrow.

Payman Langroudi: Band. Yeah. They don’t get the pleasure. [01:35:20] Because if you get high on the pleasure, you’ll get high on the pain, low on the pain. You know what I mean?

Andy Acton: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Perhaps [01:35:25] that is interesting.

Andy Acton: Perhaps that is it.

Payman Langroudi: So, so lovely having you as always. Thank you for being so [01:35:30] easy talking to you.

Andy Acton: It’s been a wonderful conversation.

Payman Langroudi: Thank you so much, I enjoyed it. Me [01:35:35] too.

[VOICE]: This is Dental Leaders, the [01:35:40] podcast where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [01:35:45] hosts Payman Langroudi [01:35:50] and Prav Solanki.

Prav Solanki: Thanks for listening, guys. If you got this [01:35:55] far, you must have listened to the whole thing. And just a huge thank you both from me and pay for [01:36:00] actually sticking through and listening to what we had to say and what our guest has had to say, because [01:36:05] I’m assuming you got some value out of it.

Payman Langroudi: If you did get some value out of it, think about subscribing [01:36:10] and if you would share this with a friend who you think might get some value out of [01:36:15] it too. Thank you so, so, so much for listening. Thanks.

Prav Solanki: And don’t forget our six star rating.

Rhona Eskander: Hi everyone. Welcome to another episode of Mind Movers [00:00:05] where we take the talk from dentistry to mental health to business. And I feel like we’ve had a real pivot in [00:00:10] the last couple of months since I’ve been back, where we’re really also moving the conversations towards [00:00:15] business as well, which I think is actually really tied into mental health. I’m so excited today that we [00:00:20] have Doctor Vinita, who’s also known as doctor V, she is an Instagram friend, and I’ve [00:00:25] been following her for a long time because she is a powerhouse. She owns a skincare brand which is specifically [00:00:30] targeted to women of colour. And for me, this really resonated because being somebody [00:00:35] that’s Middle Eastern, that’s had always struggled with my own skincare growing up, and doctor V has [00:00:40] taken this on like a champion. She has basically confronted issues which have been [00:00:45] stigmatised or taboo to have those conversations and said, hey, we need different skincare for different reasons. [00:00:50] So I’m really proud to have doctor V on the show. Welcome.

Vanita Rattan: Thank you. I’m excited. [00:00:55] Thank you.

Rhona Eskander: So doctor V, I obviously saw you because your social following [00:01:00] is so engaged. But what I want to do is I want to start from the beginning, you know. [00:01:05] Can you take us back to the very beginning? I know that you’re a doctor. I want to know where you qualified [00:01:10] and how the skin care journey started.

Vanita Rattan: So I have a really unique story. [00:01:15] So I did medicine at UCL. It literally was my dream since I was 13 years old and my cousin [00:01:20] had gotten in, and that’s what I wanted to do. And after medical school, [00:01:25] my parents had a company which was a cosmetics company, and I was fascinated [00:01:30] with how ingredients work together. And I realised that actually no one was [00:01:35] creating products for skin of colour. And so I went into the lab after medical [00:01:40] school. So after I qualified, I became a doctor. I went into the lab and I did 18 months as an apprentice, [00:01:45] and I then became a cosmetic formulator. And at this time, this is not a normal journey, right? [00:01:50] Doctors don’t leave the NHS and go and learn how to make creams. Yeah, [00:01:55] of course it goes against the whole Indian mentality. Yes, but I [00:02:00] felt like no one was doing it and there was this huge unmet need.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: And [00:02:05] so we actually created something called the hyperpigmentation Clinic. So I had a chain of eight clinics around [00:02:10] the world. We created the world’s first professional grade treatment for pigmentation for skin of colour. We [00:02:15] ran that for eight years until Covid hit. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Slow down, slow [00:02:20] down. Yeah.

[BOTH]: That’s so impressive.

Payman Langroudi: To get to eight clinics owned by you [00:02:25] around the world.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: How did you negotiate that? I mean, you’re a doctor at the end [00:02:30] of the day. Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: So it was quite good. So my parents are also in business and so but [00:02:35] not doctors. So my dad’s a doctor. My mom’s a pharmacist. They had their own cosmetics company. So that’s [00:02:40] how I learned was from their cosmetic formulator. And so they already had connections around the world. And so when. [00:02:45]

Rhona Eskander: I have a question for you, did they also what was their perception of practising [00:02:50] medicine versus using medicine as a tool to do business? Right. Because that’s different, [00:02:55] right.

Vanita Rattan: It is different. And actually, I think they’re very entrepreneurial. I think my parents are very entrepreneurial. [00:03:00] I think generally everybody I know is like my whole family, extended family, we [00:03:05] all tend to have a profession and we all have a business as well. Okay. This is like very normal. So [00:03:10] for me to do business with my medical knowledge was just [00:03:15] like water. It’s like second nature for me. And they already had the connections. So because we were already [00:03:20] we’re already on Harley Street. We were in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow. Then the next step was we’re [00:03:25] outside of the country. Should we go to. So we did South Africa, we’re in Mauritius, we did India. [00:03:30]

Payman Langroudi: All at the same time.

Vanita Rattan: One after the other. So. And Pakistan. So we literally it was like [00:03:35] six.

[BOTH]: Months apart, six.

Vanita Rattan: Months apart.

[BOTH]: Totally.

Payman Langroudi: Believable.

Vanita Rattan: It was really hard. Honestly, managing businesses [00:03:40] abroad.

Payman Langroudi: Funded that the sales fund that.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah. So the company here, my business here was funding [00:03:45] the expansion. So it was very organic. I’ve never borrowed money. I’ve always bootstrapped. [00:03:50] Even to this day we’re bootstrapped. I feel like you’re more frugal and [00:03:55] you’re more intentional with every pound. More cost benefit analysis when it’s your money.

Rhona Eskander: Okay, [00:04:00] so with the first skincare clinic, what was the sort of premise? So were you [00:04:05] the treating practitioner? Did you have a team of therapists? How did it work?

Vanita Rattan: It started off with just me [00:04:10] and I was doing the consultations and the treatments. Okay. Then as we got bigger, we [00:04:15] then hired a team of practitioners. And so, you know, we had a team around [00:04:20] the country. Um, and then again abroad, I would train and then they would practice. [00:04:25] Now this ran for eight years and it was an amazing.

[BOTH]: What was it called. [00:04:30]

Vanita Rattan: The hyperpigmentation clinic. So it was this wonderful clinic. We had amazing [00:04:35] results. And then Covid hit and we didn’t know [00:04:40] what to do. We were haemorrhaging money because of we couldn’t do furlough. All our practitioners [00:04:45] were self-employed.

[BOTH]: Yeah, yeah.

Vanita Rattan: So we were just losing money everywhere. And I was trying [00:04:50] to pay practitioners even though nobody was working. Because what’s everyone supposed to do? And [00:04:55] we had to make a really difficult decision, which was cut this incredible business that [00:05:00] we have, keep the laboratory and then figure out in my late 30s, [00:05:05] can I learn how to navigate social media?

Rhona Eskander: So at this point, the clinics [00:05:10] had been built just through word of mouth, word of mouth and traditional marketing.

Vanita Rattan: No traditional marketing. [00:05:15] Oh yeah. Sorry. Traditional marketing. So like Google ads.

Rhona Eskander: And SEO and things like that.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah. And starting [00:05:20] of YouTube, sorry, starting of Instagram, like very like, like [00:05:25] trying, but not really understanding it properly. Then during Covid, I literally purchased [00:05:30] all the dummies guides to all the different Instagram and YouTube and every single book for [00:05:35] YouTube. I literally studied it like a degree. So I studied social media like a degree. And [00:05:40] in those two years, I decided, right, we’re going to figure out how [00:05:45] to become an influencer, figure out, can I build enough of a following? Are enough people interested in [00:05:50] skin of colour that I can use my lab to formulate for them. And is [00:05:55] this enough to have a life? Like to build a life. To build a business. And [00:06:00] these are all lots of ifs, right? Because don’t forget, I grew up at a time without even Facebook. I was [00:06:05] at university without Facebook. So we weren’t really part of this world. [00:06:10] And it just so happened that everybody was at home. Everyone was excited about skincare, and [00:06:15] people were watching YouTube videos. So we started to grow. And as I grew, I [00:06:20] would ask my following, hey guys, what would you like me to make next? I would take them into the lab with me. I’d film, [00:06:25] we’d literally literally say, do you want this ingredient? You want this ingredient, you want this colour packaging. Literally built it [00:06:30] with my people. That’s why it’s this community is so strong. It’s in the DNA [00:06:35] of this business. They’ve been there from day one, like the whole [00:06:40] way, answering questions and building this thing with me. So this is also why I feel like it couldn’t have failed [00:06:45] because it feels me on my own. Yes, it could have failed. High possibility of it failing, [00:06:50] but we were doing it together. How do you fail when you have thousands of people guiding you? [00:06:55]

Payman Langroudi: They kind of call that building public, right? Yeah. And Glossier was a bit [00:07:00] like that. Yeah. Started off as a blog.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah, exactly.

Payman Langroudi: But what you’re saying there is [00:07:05] really super important that it’s not something you can measure. Yeah. That, that, that sort of [00:07:10] fandom, that sort of the way purpose almost behind it, that love.

Rhona Eskander: I do think [00:07:15] there’s something to be said. What I think is very important is that you distinguish [00:07:20] the difference between a following and a community, because people can have a following, [00:07:25] but if the following is not engaged and don’t feel like they’re going to die hard by the founder. [00:07:30] People actually don’t sell. And we’ve seen this with influencers, online influencers [00:07:35] that have 1 or 2 million followers. They bring out their own product and the product [00:07:40] flops. And I do believe that is representative of the community. They’ve [00:07:45] built the community almost saying, I kind of trust you, but not [00:07:50] enough to buy what you’re actually selling. And I think that that’s important. [00:07:55] So the thing is, is that you built a community, not a following. And I think that’s [00:08:00] where the key distinction lies.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah. I agree with you, I completely agree. I call that [00:08:05] my people, my skin colour family. We’re a tribe. It’s not I don’t even like the word following [00:08:10] because what does that even mean? Like I’m serving them and I’m following them. So that’s [00:08:15] how I feel. And even like when I sign off my letters, always love Doctor Vee. Every Instagram, [00:08:20] I know it’s not professional, but that’s how I feel. I have so much love for what we’re doing.

Rhona Eskander: So [00:08:25] you did you launch this in 2020, then the skincare brand 2021. [00:08:30]

Vanita Rattan: So like 2020, we were just finding our feet. I think I launched our first product, which [00:08:35] is such a crazy product, what we launched with, right? It was called the lip hyperpigmentation kit. Yeah. [00:08:40] This is a £100 kit for lip hyperpigmentation in skin [00:08:45] of colour. You could not be more niche. Yeah, it’s not a pigmentation serum. [00:08:50] It’s for one specific part of the face. And it’s so expensive. And [00:08:55] that sold out. Wow. And when that sold out, which we had to buy in the thousands.

Rhona Eskander: Proof of [00:09:00] concept.

Vanita Rattan: Yes I realised hold on. What about everything else? Yeah. [00:09:05] What about head to toe? Cradle to grave? Everything? Yeah. What about all the things that we need? [00:09:10] Forget lip pigmentation.

Payman Langroudi: I love the way you think.

Vanita Rattan: You know that’s the NHS slogan. Yeah. [00:09:15]

Rhona Eskander: So at this point, did you go to your parents as mentors for all of this? The [00:09:20] whole time?

Vanita Rattan: Yeah, the whole time. They’ve they’ve always been very good guides. Um, and they’ve been in this [00:09:25] world, they’ve been in this industry, uh, although they don’t understand social media as much. [00:09:30] So we’ve always had like that sort of tension, like I’m explaining and, you know, my dad, [00:09:35] for example, was like, keep it very medical, you know, come from the science come from.

Rhona Eskander: They get it.

Vanita Rattan: Wrong. No, [00:09:40] he’s right. He’s so right. But how is how do you deliver [00:09:45] the medicine in a way that is understandable? Auntie is going to understand, you know. Or a [00:09:50] child’s gonna.

Rhona Eskander: Jump on the trends because I think what we do is very similar. It’s like the dentists and stuff that [00:09:55] are obsessed with like, no, I’m going to be very clinical. And the problem is, is that the social media is built [00:10:00] around relatability. It’s not built on like how beautiful. And the thing is, is that you’ll see a [00:10:05] much more talented dentist or doctor and they get so irate seeing like general [00:10:10] dentists or doctors do better. And I’m like, listen, the point is, is that people buy the the thing [00:10:15] they buy the people. Do you see what I mean? They’re not buying the product or the service. They’re actually buying [00:10:20] people. Yeah. And I think that they find it really hard to resonate with. Did you go through a grieving period, [00:10:25] though, with your clinics?

Vanita Rattan: We didn’t have time. I was, I was I was in [00:10:30] fight or flight, like a lot of us were during Covid. I had two children in private school. I had a [00:10:35] house to pay for. Like we, I, there was no time. It was just, [00:10:40] you know, you become very matter of fact in a crisis. And I don’t know about other people, but I do. I [00:10:45] go straight into right, cut this. Move on. We have to do this right. I was making five YouTube videos [00:10:50] a week.

Rhona Eskander: Wow.

Vanita Rattan: I was producing hundreds of pieces of content a week and [00:10:55] bombing on at least 70% of them weren’t working. And for about a [00:11:00] year and a half, I would say it wasn’t really very good content. Like I could have. Like now I look back, I like, [00:11:05] I sometimes cringe at some of the stuff that I’ve done. Um, and then and [00:11:10] you have to go through the cringe like mountain to.

Payman Langroudi: Get really interesting to me is the pivot. [00:11:15]

Vanita Rattan: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Because you would have, you would have thought that getting to eight clinics in such a short period [00:11:20] of time is a successful endeavour. Yeah. And then Covid comes [00:11:25] along and instead of you just rebuilding and doing that again, you completely pivoted to [00:11:30] this whole social media thing. And that’s a superpower, right? That we didn’t have a choice.

Vanita Rattan: I think [00:11:35] I would love to think that that was me, but it just actually didn’t have a choice because we didn’t know how long [00:11:40] this thing was going to go on for.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah.

Vanita Rattan: And we. So we couldn’t rebuild. Like we had to do something now. And [00:11:45] I had a certain amount of savings. Either I go through my savings, draw it down to nothing [00:11:50] and pray that, you know, there’ll be a time that we can come back or like [00:11:55] you just have faith in yourself and you. One thing I will say about myself is I feel like I can [00:12:00] achieve anything. There’s nothing I can’t do.

Rhona Eskander: I love that.

Vanita Rattan: I do feel like I’ve got this, like.

Payman Langroudi: Overextending [00:12:05] that it destroyed the business so quickly.

Vanita Rattan: Uh, meaning that I should have [00:12:10] waited longer or would.

Payman Langroudi: You know, you know, you were you were reinvesting too quickly.

Vanita Rattan: It [00:12:15] was very we went through as much pain as I think we could have taken as much uncertainty. [00:12:20] You know, what I don’t like is when I don’t have control over what’s happening. [00:12:25] If I’m reliant, for example, on the government or Covid or other people, external [00:12:30] factors, that’s what gives me the most anxiety. If I feel like, right, I’ve made the decision that I’m now [00:12:35] stopping this thing and I’m going to do this thing that is in my power, I feel like I can do anything. [00:12:40]

Rhona Eskander: I think there’s something to be said, you know, like, and I guess this is probably a question for [00:12:45] both of you. When is too long, too long? And what I mean by that is, you know, I had [00:12:50] a conversation with a really good friend of mine and she does something in the media industry and [00:12:55] she goes, I want to pack it in. I’ve been doing it for ten years. And same, I have a friend who had a very successful [00:13:00] jewellery company. And in the last two years she’s making net loss. [00:13:05] And the reason is because gold has gone up and all of these external factors. And she goes, I’ve [00:13:10] spent ten years building this brand. And she goes, I’m kind of tired. And she goes, and [00:13:15] I can’t anymore. I can’t do it. And I just don’t know. Like, when do you think is the right [00:13:20] time? Because even with enlightened or even the doctor, the skincare brand, where obviously you’re [00:13:25] never going to be in a position of a business, some people are, and they’re really lucky where you’re in a constant like growth [00:13:30] spurt. And then I think there is a real skill for people.

Payman Langroudi: Even even those businesses [00:13:35] are.

Rhona Eskander: They sell quickly.

Payman Langroudi: They’re trying, they’re trying 30, 40 things before 3 or 4 things actually [00:13:40] make it. But I’m sure you’ve done. Yeah.

Rhona Eskander: But what how do you think? What do you think? Do you think there is a thing as [00:13:45] too long, 30 years, 40 years?

Payman Langroudi: No, no. But even even within the product. Yeah. Sometimes you put a lot of [00:13:50] emotional effort into a product and then you’ve been up a few cul de sacs. [00:13:55] Yeah. And eventually you’ve worked it out. Now, now it’s not selling as well as it could. [00:14:00] And sometimes you put emotion into the journey it took to get to that product. And some, some, you know, accountant [00:14:05] might say, just cut that product. My partner. Yeah. He’s so happy to [00:14:10] kill kill products. But I’ve been through so much pain to get to the but, you know, it’s one of those [00:14:15] things.

Rhona Eskander: But do you think there is a year time period or do you think it’s just dependent.

Payman Langroudi: On the situation? But some people [00:14:20] are better at it than others. And the weird thing is you’ve got the other side where sticking [00:14:25] at stuff is one of the cornerstones of success. You know, like being [00:14:30] around.

Rhona Eskander: Especially in the impatient currents, like impatient climate that we’re living in. What about you, doctor? I [00:14:35] think your opportunity.

Vanita Rattan: There’s an opportunity cost and that’s what people sometimes miss.

Rhona Eskander: Go [00:14:40] for.

Vanita Rattan: It. So for example, say you’re in a job that you hate, but [00:14:45] all you can see is this job and all you know is how much time it’s taken you [00:14:50] to, to understand this job and get the job and what you might not be [00:14:55] seeing. And the lens you might not be looking at is what else you could have done with your talent in [00:15:00] that period of time. And sometimes we get scared and sometimes we have sunk cost mentality [00:15:05] where you’ve invested all of this time into something and now you can’t [00:15:10] let go. Yeah. And actually, I’m really a little bit unemotional in that respect. [00:15:15] Um, I’m very emotional in many respects, but in this respect, when it comes to opportunity cost, I feel like [00:15:20] you only have a certain number of years productive years before old age and Alzheimer’s [00:15:25] kicks in. Have I, in that very limited time, which is my only [00:15:30] limiting resource, have I maximised it? Am I wasting my time on anything [00:15:35] that is not going to bring me joy and not make me feel proud. And so when it even [00:15:40] came to the clinics, it was I could have carried on. And prior to that, I’ve had [00:15:45] other businesses. So Ace Medicine, for example, was my first ever company. It was a medical education company. We [00:15:50] trained 10,000 students to get into medical school. We had [00:15:55] it was, I.

Rhona Eskander: Feel like I’ve heard of it.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah, it was my first. You probably did. It was like we were it was really big. It [00:16:00] was for dentistry as well. So we did medicine and dentistry. I did hear of it. Um, so that was my first [00:16:05] company. And we shut that when it was highly profitable. Again, like the hypertension clinic, we shut it when it was [00:16:10] highly profitable because opportunity cost. So we were, we were at that point of [00:16:15] transitioning to the hyperpigmentation clinic. And this was doing so well that my time [00:16:20] was more valued here than it was there. So even though this was a highly profitable [00:16:25] business and actually anyone would have been so happy with it, we shut it.

Rhona Eskander: So but [00:16:30] that’s the thing. Like, this is what I’m saying is a bit of a skill as well, because there were some clinics that probably were only [00:16:35] open for like 1 or 2 years, and then they actually sold during Covid because the [00:16:40] opportunity was, is that the EBITDA of the businesses looked really high because dentistry boomed [00:16:45] during Covid, which is different to what you had. And so those clinics, when they sold, they saw [00:16:50] the opportunity. They were like, you know what, I could probably work in this for another five, ten years, [00:16:55] even though like I know a clinic, they’d only been open for two years, but they were on that composite bonding boom. [00:17:00] Numbers look really high and they sold out for a really high amount. And then you think, why not? [00:17:05] Do you see what I mean?

Payman Langroudi: Lucky timing as well. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don’t. It’s one of those one [00:17:10] of those things.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah. So also I want to move on to you were saying obviously that you had the pressures. You [00:17:15] knew that you had a lot of responsibilities. What does your partner do?

Vanita Rattan: So we’re in business together. [00:17:20] We’ve been business together from the beginning as well. No he did he did economics at UCL. [00:17:25] So we were dating at uni. Um we got married straight after I graduated and [00:17:30] actually on my engagement day, he was working at Lehman Brothers as a trader. [00:17:35] Okay. On our engagement day. Do you remember when Lehman Brothers collapsed? Yes. [00:17:40] And the men were coming out with their boxes. My husband was one of those men.

Payman Langroudi: No way.

Vanita Rattan: And [00:17:45] at the party, I engaged with a party. It was like some commiseration. Everyone was like, I’m [00:17:50] so sorry. Instead of like, congratulations. I was like, are you okay? My poor husband, like the sweetest man [00:17:55] you’ve ever met. He just, like, he just didn’t know what to do with his face. Yeah. And I was [00:18:00] like, this is like, not the best party. Like any other day.

Rhona Eskander: So [00:18:05] then what.

Vanita Rattan: Happened? Um, so actually on that day, my dad said to him, uh, to [00:18:10] my husband, um, she needs you. She needs you in business. [00:18:15] And this is when I was just launching ace medicine. So this was my first company we launched. Have you, [00:18:20] did you guys do ascii’s for for dentists? Yes. So we created something called Aclc. We won the British [00:18:25] Medical Association Book Awards against my dean of medicine. Yeah. Which was like, [00:18:30] incredible as a 24 year old girl. Um, and that we launch, I [00:18:35] was launching that I spent the last year and a half at medical school putting that together. So it’s a video library of before YouTube, [00:18:40] a video library of every imagine with a book that goes with it. So we launched that [00:18:45] and all these courses coming, but I physically, I’m not as good on the finances. [00:18:50] Like my husband is like, he’s really good at the minutiae. I’m like my husband, big hedge fund.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah. Yeah, [00:18:55] exactly. I’m big picture. I’m a.

Vanita Rattan: Big picture. Like go, go, go.

Rhona Eskander: He’s a minutiae. Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: Like, don’t do that. [00:19:00] We’re not doing this. Yeah. We’re not spending money here. So actually, I needed him. I would have been [00:19:05] bankrupt without him. Yeah. So it’s the best thing ever. When Lehman Brothers went under for us Touchwood and [00:19:10] he, you know, trusted me to do this.

Rhona Eskander: So was he always [00:19:15] a business partner with you?

Vanita Rattan: From the beginning? From the day we got engaged.

Rhona Eskander: And my husband refuses [00:19:20] to become a business partner with me because he says that he always witnessed his parents [00:19:25] who were in business together. And he felt like it just put such a strain on their marriage and [00:19:30] he feels like. Then it becomes. And he’s he’s helped me like with bits on the clinic and then just like giving [00:19:35] me advice and stuff. But ultimately I find it really interesting because [00:19:40] I think it’s quite cool to do it. But I think he just feels like it’s, it puts a strain on the relationship.

Vanita Rattan: He’s [00:19:45] seen it like that. Then I totally understand. And you know what? If it [00:19:50] had been any any other person, but it wouldn’t have worked. I am [00:19:55] not an easy person to work with. I know this, I really I feel sorry for anyone that works with me before they [00:20:00] even come and work with me. I tell them I am. I’ve got really high standards. I work like a crazy person. Like [00:20:05] it’s best if you go and save yourself and run away from me like I really. Yeah. And he’s one of the only. [00:20:10]

Payman Langroudi: Were you like this when you were six?

Vanita Rattan: Uh, so I’m dyslexic and I went to one of the top [00:20:15] schools in the country. Um, and.

Rhona Eskander: When were you diagnosed?

Vanita Rattan: I never was diagnosed until I got to medical [00:20:20] school. And I diagnosed myself in the dyslexia lecture when I’m suddenly getting 100%. And [00:20:25] I was like, it’s not funny.

Payman Langroudi: Diagnose yourself in the dyslexia.

Rhona Eskander: Did [00:20:30] you have dyslexia with spelling? No. And no one noticed.

Vanita Rattan: I just thought I was thick. Yeah, I just thought [00:20:35] I was just slower and, like, just stupid, really, honestly. So I remember [00:20:40] you have to stand up and you’d read and all the, like, letters be jumbled up. And I just thought, that’s normal, right? [00:20:45] Because I don’t know what other people are seeing. All I know is that I can’t seem to read this thing and everyone’s reading fluently, [00:20:50] like I must be thick. And so I worked like a crazy person. [00:20:55] So it was it was sheer hard work. It was like, I’m going to outwork everybody, [00:21:00] 10 to 1. So I remember even my English teacher telling me, you’re not going to get a C. And I was [00:21:05] like, I can’t get into medical school with a C. And so I would do ten essays a night each [00:21:10] essays an hour, and I would come back the next day with ten essays, and I’d make her mark it like I was such [00:21:15] a psycho. When I go to study.

Rhona Eskander: That shows about determination, because I think that Neurodivergence [00:21:20] is so poorly understood. And I do feel, for example, that [00:21:25] we really need to revisit the school system like I’m late diagnosed ADHD and also [00:21:30] like I failed my 11 plus.

Vanita Rattan: Oh me.

Rhona Eskander: Too. When when I went to secondary school, it was a [00:21:35] very artistic school. And I remember the headmaster or whoever was interviewing me had written not [00:21:40] very clever, but might be good at drama. And in my school, no one was interested in [00:21:45] dentistry because most people did want to go into the arts and drama and all that kind of thing. I really wanted to be a dentist, [00:21:50] and just like you, I just really focussed. I wasn’t one of these people. I couldn’t do last [00:21:55] minute revision. I had to do three months before the exam, write it out, write it out, [00:22:00] write it out, write it out. And the repetition piece was really important for me. And obviously I [00:22:05] did end up getting into dental school. And then I realised that my brain was really into English and philosophy [00:22:10] and then chemistry and biology. But the problem is, is that neurodivergent brains are treated like [00:22:15] a problem. And I think it’s like the stats show a lot more people are neurodivergent [00:22:20] than neurotypical. And that could be things like dyslexia, ADHD, [00:22:25] autism, all these different things. And people treat it like it’s a problem. [00:22:30] But I find it crazy when you’d know better with both your kids. Like, has the curriculum changed that much [00:22:35] since we were at school?

Payman Langroudi: Like they give a lot of like, oh, you can have extra time in exams if you’ve [00:22:40] got a diagnosis.

Rhona Eskander: But has the actual.

Payman Langroudi: Class gets that, by the way, half the class gets extra [00:22:45] time for their exams. And when I talk to my kids about their friends who are on medication, [00:22:50] which you might have been on if you were a kid today.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah, well I wasn’t.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, that happens. Right. [00:22:55]

Rhona Eskander: But a lot of them on like ADHD meds.

Payman Langroudi: And like 5 or 6 of my daughter’s friends, you know, [00:23:00] or my son’s. Yeah, yeah. It’s common these days. And one thing my, my daughter said to me was [00:23:05] that, um, a lot of times it’s more for the class than for the kid. [00:23:10] Yeah.

Rhona Eskander: In what way?

Payman Langroudi: As in the kid, you know, disruptive. Compliant when he’s on his medication.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah, [00:23:15] yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: But you know, when they’re off their medication because they’re such amazing people and it’s [00:23:20] a sad it’s a sad thing.

Rhona Eskander: Well, this is the thing. I spoke to a friend of mine who’s a model very successful yesterday, [00:23:25] and we were talking about ADHD medications, and she said to me that she tried it, but it stunted all [00:23:30] of her creativity. Yeah. And I find that interesting because when you look at a lot of people, particularly when it comes [00:23:35] to media and the way that they think, a lot of people do have ADHD. And when I used [00:23:40] to think of ADHD, because obviously I wasn’t diagnosed in school, I wasn’t your typical person because I [00:23:45] wasn’t climbing up the walls, which was what you’d have, you know, the boy that would go crazy if he had Haribo, you know, like [00:23:50] he needs Ritalin. That was the sort of stigma we had. But I think it’s just a lot more nuanced than that [00:23:55] because, as you said, dyslexia, you might immediately, because of your own biases, be like, [00:24:00] that’s the person that can’t spell, read or write and not recognise that like it’s a doctor. Do you know what I mean? It’s somebody [00:24:05] that’s incredibly intelligent.

Payman Langroudi: Funny the way you’re talking about sort of that obsessive. [00:24:10]

Vanita Rattan: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Kind of side of you.

Vanita Rattan: It’s too much even for me. This [00:24:15] is why I give myself palpitations.

Payman Langroudi: Your biggest, your biggest strength is your biggest weakness, right? Often. Yeah. [00:24:20] So. So I was gonna, I’ll get to like, what is the problem side of it? Because obviously the, the, the [00:24:25] plus side looks quite obvious. You’re achieving loads and all of that. But really what I’m quite interested in is [00:24:30] what was the trigger for it? Like, were you always that?

Vanita Rattan: So I [00:24:35] first of all, I’m a child of immigrants. And I think that is really important.

Payman Langroudi: Come from.

Vanita Rattan: So [00:24:40] from Kenya, um.

Payman Langroudi: Africa, so many.

Vanita Rattan: I know we’ve been there for 100 years actually. [00:24:45] So even though India.

Payman Langroudi: The top people I speak to, yeah.

Rhona Eskander: There’s an amazing dentist that’s starting [00:24:50] with me from Kenya actually.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Mhm.

Rhona Eskander: And I don’t know if you know him. He’s very, [00:24:55] very, very talented. Very hard working. Yeah, but go ahead.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah, yeah. So coming from that immigrant mentality, [00:25:00] they were already in survival state.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: And if they’re looking at their child and their child [00:25:05] is struggling, it’s just pure anger, right? Like they, they. Let’s [00:25:10] be real. And so for that, that’s their translation of [00:25:15] love. Or like they just, they’re in fear, fear state. And so you are absorbing their [00:25:20] fear state and all you can do. The only thing in your power is to work. [00:25:25] That’s all you can do. You can outwork everybody. That’s the only thing that you can control. You can’t control how [00:25:30] intelligent you are. You can’t control how you’re reading. There’s so much not in your control, but this you can control. [00:25:35] And so.

Payman Langroudi: So can we talk about sacrifice?

Vanita Rattan: Yeah. I didn’t have a child. Like I wouldn’t not as in [00:25:40] didn’t have a childhood, but I didn’t, I didn’t have go out. I didn’t have friends. I wasn’t allowed out. I, it was like.

Rhona Eskander: Did your parents [00:25:45] put that for you?

Vanita Rattan: Yes.

Payman Langroudi: And what about now though?

Vanita Rattan: Now, now, now is very different. Now I’m in.

Payman Langroudi: Control. [00:25:50] But you are. You’re sacrificing something by being this obsessed with.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah. Even today I was thinking today, like, when was [00:25:55] the last time I went to see my friends?

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, that’s.

Vanita Rattan: Something I don’t. And I.

Payman Langroudi: You just said you’ve got 40 [00:26:00] skews.

Vanita Rattan: I know I tell my friends like I blow everybody off and it’s actually my fault. And I, and [00:26:05] I was even telling my husband today, I was like, why do I do that? He’s like, yeah, why do you do that? And I was like, because I’m still in this warrior [00:26:10] mindset. I’m not in.

Payman Langroudi: This with a product launch. It’s like a wedding or something. Yeah, nothing [00:26:15] can go wrong.

Vanita Rattan: But it never ends right for.

Payman Langroudi: Me.

Vanita Rattan: I have new products coming out. I’ve got [00:26:20] ten products coming out in the next six months.

Payman Langroudi: So what are you losing out on in life? Are you not travelling?

Vanita Rattan: No, we travel [00:26:25] a lot, thankfully. So holidays are really important.

Payman Langroudi: Are you doing?

Rhona Eskander: Do you work on holiday?

Vanita Rattan: Yeah, we always [00:26:30] like. I’m always making reels and content on holiday, writing scripts, but I do actually really enjoy [00:26:35] my holidays. I think what I don’t do is spend time with my friends, I think have girl time and just gossip [00:26:40] and just chat. I don’t do that actually. I don’t give myself grace and [00:26:45] just go, I’m blocking this time just to have fun with my friends like that is never in the diary. [00:26:50] And I think moving forward, that is something I definitely need to do for myself. [00:26:55] And I really want my children to be different to me. Like I don’t want them to have to, you know, mechanically [00:27:00] think I need to see my friends. You know, it should be natural that.

Rhona Eskander: How old [00:27:05] were. So how old are your children?

Vanita Rattan: So my daughter is 12 and my son is nine. [00:27:10]

Rhona Eskander: And when they were first born, what business was launched at that [00:27:15] point.

Vanita Rattan: So when I was pregnant with my daughter, I had ace medicine. [00:27:20] Um, I had, I was actually launching a restaurant which [00:27:25] failed, which failed in Westfield’s the most expensive failure of my [00:27:30] life that caused me.

Rhona Eskander: I’ve had restaurants are huge.

Vanita Rattan: It was like I was in my. I was 28. We lost over a quarter of £1 [00:27:35] million. That was like all our savings plus like our property, the one house, the flat that we were living [00:27:40] in.

Payman Langroudi: What kind of Indian.

Vanita Rattan: It was. No she wasn’t. It was teppanyaki. Japanese.

Rhona Eskander: Why do you [00:27:45] think it didn’t work?

Vanita Rattan: Wrong location. I never go into a business that has [00:27:50] a low barriers to entry because the competition is too great. So what I learned was all the businesses that [00:27:55] I started that were medical businesses that you need to have a certain level of knowledge, were [00:28:00] all very successful businesses that have that anyone can start. You don’t need, [00:28:05] you know, a certain level of degree in something. They’re very, [00:28:10] very difficult. Like you don’t do it. That’s my learning to myself and learning to everybody is [00:28:15] higher. Barriers to entry are the types of businesses you need to get into. So that’s why I was doing that at the same time. [00:28:20] So I remember that was a failing business while I was pregnant. I’d had like a knee injury at the time as well. So that was [00:28:25] with my daughter Sienna, then with Josh. Um, we were [00:28:30] in a much better place actually. We had the clinics and we didn’t have ace medicine [00:28:35] anymore and the restaurant had shut. So actually we were in a much, much better place when it came to Josh’s [00:28:40] turn.

Rhona Eskander: Okay, so my question is, how did you deal with motherhood and running businesses?

Vanita Rattan: So [00:28:45] thankfully it was when it came to the clinics, we I was basically in the clinics on the [00:28:50] weekends. So maybe two days a week or three days a week. And then during the rest of the week, I was at home. [00:28:55] Then my husband was working from home because you can work from home, you can have a home office. [00:29:00] And so that was actually like not terrible. But my daughter was [00:29:05] from ten months old. She’s been at nursery like, you know, five days a week until 6 p.m.. So [00:29:10] I think I actually really missed out on a lot of her childhood because at the weekends I’m working. So [00:29:15] I really was only seeing her in the evenings. And so when it came to Josh’s [00:29:20] time, I really wanted to spend a bit more time with him. But again, it wasn’t as much as I would have wanted. And [00:29:25] there is a sacrifice there. And I think it’s only probably now that I’m spending. [00:29:30]

Rhona Eskander: But from working from home. Were you able to do that?

Vanita Rattan: I so because the kids were at nursery, like [00:29:35] because we had to work. If the kids are at home that I don’t know how people do this. Some people work with their kids at home. There’s [00:29:40] no way we could have done that.

Rhona Eskander: I mean, listen, I have a nanny and the days [00:29:45] that I work from home, so I work from home now. Like, I only go into clinic two days a week, and the rest [00:29:50] of the time is like managing the clinic and doing all the stuff like content, articles, [00:29:55] like all that stuff. And it takes so much time. But like if my nanny wasn’t there because even [00:30:00] though people are like, oh, you know, a baby that’s like a few months old and like, they still need attention. You can’t [00:30:05] just like leave them. You know, you just can’t just leave them. So I think it is really hard. And I think it’s [00:30:10] a false narrative. Like, I don’t think anyone has kind of worked out the perfect balance [00:30:15] between kids and, um, between kids and business.

Vanita Rattan: You definitely [00:30:20] sacrificing something. I couldn’t even have a nanny in the house, I think. I think that would even distract me. Like when I’m in, when I’m [00:30:25] deep work, I’m in deep work. I can’t, I can’t actually have even like a cleaner around or anyone. [00:30:30] So it’s amazing that you can do that. And then some people do it without a nanny and they just have the child and they’re looking [00:30:35] after the child while they’re doing their work. I have no idea how people do that. I think it’s incredible. [00:30:40] But I, I just we just couldn’t do that. It’s too hard.

Rhona Eskander: Okay, so [00:30:45] I want to move on now because we’ve obviously talked about, um, how [00:30:50] it came along. So when it was the lip and everything and I want [00:30:55] to know something else. Have you always seen yourself as an entrepreneur?

Vanita Rattan: Definitely from 13 [00:31:00] years old. When I learnt about Richard Branson, I remember reading his autobiography and it [00:31:05] was such an eye opener because he was dyslexic and I knew he struggled at school and [00:31:10] if he could struggle at school and he became a billionaire, I could be a billionaire. Literally, [00:31:15] that’s how basic my thinking was. And to this day, that’s one of my core beliefs, [00:31:20] is he did it so I can do it.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah, I love that so much because I always say, and this [00:31:25] is something that like differs between me and my husband is like, my husband is incredibly successful [00:31:30] working in a hedge fund, but he’s much more of like a realist, [00:31:35] you know, whereas I’m more of a fantasist. And I think that’s definitely like the ADHD. But I do [00:31:40] think that fantasists are the reason why they get so far, because they do believe the sky is the limit. [00:31:45] Yeah, but they believe the sky is the limit, like you said, like if you look at somebody and you’re like, but if they [00:31:50] can do it, why can’t I do it? And I often ask him, because the guy, his boss that owns the [00:31:55] hedge fund is obviously a billionaire. And I was like, can you ask him, how [00:32:00] do you become a billionaire? Like, how do you become a billionaire? And the interesting thing was, and [00:32:05] I have to admit, after the Epstein release files. I do [00:32:10] think there is an element of being unethical. I do think so now, and [00:32:15] I that’s the thing. And the thing is, is like, yes, even Richard Branson was in those files. This is why I’m saying [00:32:20] like, I do think the level of a multi-millionaire gigantic. The difference between that is like, [00:32:25] there must be an element of you being like, do you know what? I am going to sell a little bit of my soul in [00:32:30] whatever capacity to get to that next level?

Vanita Rattan: I think it’s audacity. I think that [00:32:35] the billionaires have a level of audacity that most of us are scared to feel. [00:32:40] We’re scared because a lot of us, we’ve all been institutionalised. Why is it that the [00:32:45] that these rebel billionaires become rebel billionaires? Right. They a lot of them didn’t do well at [00:32:50] school. A lot of them actually weren’t institutionalised.

Rhona Eskander: But with even Epstein, they don’t know how he made his [00:32:55] money. Like as in, it’s all still a bit of an enigma. And that whole.

Vanita Rattan: Thing makes me feel.

Rhona Eskander: Sick. But but [00:33:00] even with that, they’re like, he was a maths teacher and then he created this, you [00:33:05] know.

Payman Langroudi: Gigantic amounts of money coming in quickly. Something’s [00:33:10] going on, right? Something. Did you have you watched the.

Vanita Rattan: Netflix documentary on it?

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. It [00:33:15] didn’t. It didn’t even touch, touch, touch the surface.

Rhona Eskander: That didn’t even touch the surface.

Payman Langroudi: Didn’t [00:33:20] mention anything about like, intelligence or anything. But anyway, but my question is like what you said [00:33:25] about billionaires, either you are a complete genius and lucky and [00:33:30] all those things together here, which is very few people. Or there’s [00:33:35] an inheritance story, which is another or something’s going on, something’s [00:33:40] going on, you know that, you know, gigantic amounts of money don’t go billionaire is [00:33:45] totally different to.

Rhona Eskander: Multi-millionaire.

Payman Langroudi: Multi-millionaire.

Rhona Eskander: That’s what I.

Payman Langroudi: Said. And there’s an insatiable desire [00:33:50] to control.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Rhona Eskander: And because I think it becomes about power as well. [00:33:55]

Payman Langroudi: You know, I think for me.

Vanita Rattan: Because of my upbringing, [00:34:00] I’ve my mission has always been for girls and for women empowering [00:34:05] girls and women. I’m really grateful that I’m an Indian girl in the UK, because [00:34:10] being an Indian girl means that I have the immigrant mindset. But number two, I’m not [00:34:15] in a patriarchal community.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: And I imagine what Indian girl can do in this environment. [00:34:20] But imagine all those Indian girls who aren’t in this environment.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Vanita Rattan: So for me, like [00:34:25] money equals how many women can I help? For me, that’s what it really [00:34:30] comes down to because you can only spend so much, right? There’s only so much status. You can have.

Rhona Eskander: Freedom. I mean, for [00:34:35] me, like, you know, I watch something. There is a girl on Instagram. I’m sure you’ve seen [00:34:40] her and she follow her, but like she calls herself the frugal chick and she does all this stuff about like money. [00:34:45] And then she basically says like, here is how I actually ended up getting a lot of money. She’s like, sometimes you got [00:34:50] to look at as money as being neutral and not dirty and unethical. You know, that like level of money. And I was [00:34:55] like, that’s quite interesting because I think people are embarrassed to say, I like making a lot of [00:35:00] money or I want a lot of money. They feel like it’s almost like dirty like that association. But [00:35:05] there’s a lot of people that do.

Vanita Rattan: But I think that puts us in a very.

Rhona Eskander: Limited, more scarcity mindset. [00:35:10] But also the thing is, is that mostly I think people like money because of freedom, because that’s [00:35:15] what it is. It buys freedom.

Vanita Rattan: That’s it. That’s really key, right? Like, let’s be real. [00:35:20]

Rhona Eskander: Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: For women, freedom is everything. We’ve for decades, for generations, [00:35:25] we’ve not had freedom that now I think girls are waking up to the idea that [00:35:30] they need to be able to earn their own freedom. Yeah. When you have money, no one can say anything to you. [00:35:35] Yeah, yeah, that’s what it is. Why would anyone think that’s dirty?

Rhona Eskander: Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: I don’t understand that at [00:35:40] all.

Payman Langroudi: Well, well, I mean, it’s important that you kind of you still man the opposite side. [00:35:45]

Vanita Rattan: Well tell me, tell me. Why is it.

Payman Langroudi: You.

Vanita Rattan: Tell me? Oh, I don’t think it’s dirty. I think it’s a good thing.

Payman Langroudi: It’s important you [00:35:50] understand the other side of one thing you don’t think about.

Vanita Rattan: Tell me what.

Payman Langroudi: You should tell me.

Rhona Eskander: He’s challenging [00:35:55] you.

Payman Langroudi: It’s important.

Vanita Rattan: Why do they think that? Why?

Rhona Eskander: Why do people. Some people would think it is.

Vanita Rattan: I [00:36:00] actually think, um, I, I think it’s coming from an unhealthy [00:36:05] mindset and I think it’s a way to keep people down. I think it’s a mindset that’s been [00:36:10] spread in order to keep people where they should be, keep them in their boxes. [00:36:15]

Payman Langroudi: Control.

Vanita Rattan: It’s a way of controlling classes. Way of controlling people is [00:36:20] by spreading. It’s a false lie. It’s a lie. What do you mean? Money [00:36:25] can’t be dirty. It’s just. It’s just a currency of time. It’s a currency of effort, and [00:36:30] it gives you freedom.

Payman Langroudi: But it could be that. And something intellectually honest as well. So can [00:36:35] you think of.

Vanita Rattan: What do you mean?

Rhona Eskander: I think, well, I know that some people say, for example, if [00:36:40] we look at billionaires and who we consider to be controlling the world that we live in. So whether it’s Mark Zuckerberg, [00:36:45] Bill gates and all these people, again, people that are heavily associated with something like [00:36:50] the Epstein files, people would consider that it’s largely unethical. People [00:36:55] that are controlling the world, that don’t really care about other human beings because it benefits [00:37:00] them. And that’s where the negative connotation comes. Okay.

Vanita Rattan: Okay. So imagine you became [00:37:05] a billionaire. You’re nothing like any of these.

Rhona Eskander: Totally, totally.

Vanita Rattan: Is is being is [00:37:10] being a billionaire bad or is it how you get there and what you do with your [00:37:15] with your power?

Rhona Eskander: I would say that what I told you, as I said, unfortunately, the [00:37:20] sad truth is, is that the way that most people get there isn’t a way that [00:37:25] is necessarily desired by the masses. You know, and I think that when you’re surprised [00:37:30] by someone like Richard Branson, who you think is a really philanthropic guy, and I’m not saying [00:37:35] he did anything wrong, like he didn’t do anything wrong. He was. I mean, yeah, but the fact is, is that he probably knew what [00:37:40] was going on and was okay with it. Right. And whatever the point is, is that I think [00:37:45] that that’s why people would have this. They’re like, these people are controlling the world. And also [00:37:50] they’re the ones and they’re the ones that are keeping other people more in their box. [00:37:55] So they could be billionaires. So they’re the ones. There’s other people thinking, hey, we’re actually not as rich [00:38:00] and not as successful because the billionaires don’t want us to be there.

Vanita Rattan: But then shouldn’t the shouldn’t the thinking be. [00:38:05] So I get that. But shouldn’t the thinking be, why can’t we all [00:38:10] strive for that? Like, instead of instead of like, that’s a bad person or that’s a bad person [00:38:15] because we can waste our energy thinking like that, or we can put our energy into ourselves [00:38:20] and go, do you know what? How did that person get there? And is that a way that I want to get there? What is a [00:38:25] strategy? What do they read? What did they do and how do I implement that in my life?

Rhona Eskander: I think it’s all about personal happiness. [00:38:30] Like for me, I’ve always been inspired by entrepreneurs. I’ve always been inspired. [00:38:35] Like you, I came from an immigrant family, but also like from an immigrant family that came to [00:38:40] the UK with not a lot. And for me, I was like, yes. And I looked up to those people at [00:38:45] school that lived in better houses and dressed better. But then I also have some friends. Their [00:38:50] values are different to mine, so they can’t understand why I want to be so successful [00:38:55] and why I want to make so much money.

Vanita Rattan: I think it’s like a safety net.

Rhona Eskander: They want that. They’re happy [00:39:00] in a life where, for example, they don’t work a lot and they get to spend time with their [00:39:05] family or like they can go on a couple of holidays and they’re genuinely happy with that. So I think [00:39:10] it all is about your personal preferences.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah, I think it’s more than personal preferences. I think they haven’t seen [00:39:15] how bad it can get if you don’t have it. Yeah. And [00:39:20] they’re lucky. Honestly, I think it’s a privilege. If you can live like that and, and [00:39:25] not have to push yourself and you’re happy and like everything’s going well, it means you’ve had a [00:39:30] beautiful life. It means actually you haven’t seen as much pain. People have come from pain [00:39:35] and have seen you with nothing. They’ve got this thing in their belly like it’s a fire [00:39:40] and we don’t even like it. We don’t want this fire in our belly. Like even after you’ve got everything that you need, that fire doesn’t [00:39:45] go. Yeah. It’s a pain that you draw upon and it pushes you further [00:39:50] and further and further. So it’s a beautiful thing if you can be like that, right? Like, I’m so happy for [00:39:55] these people. They’ve had obviously had a beautiful like upbringings and childhoods and come from stability. [00:40:00] But if you’ve had if you’ve come from an immigrant, you know, backing [00:40:05] your mindset is going to be different. And it’s not no one’s good and no one’s bad and nothing’s right and [00:40:10] nothing’s wrong. It’s just the way it is. Do you think?

Rhona Eskander: I think, I mean.

Payman Langroudi: Can I steal it then? Can [00:40:15] I say what what it might be? I’m not saying I believe you know, I’m a I have a company. [00:40:20] Right. Yeah. So I’m chasing.

Rhona Eskander: We all have companies.

Payman Langroudi: I’m. I’m chasing wealth, let’s say. [00:40:25] Yeah. But the problem with chasing wealth, what are the problems with number one, what you’re saying about, [00:40:30] you know, what should you be spending your time doing to get to the place you want to get to as fast as possible? Often [00:40:35] when wealth is the, the, the focus, you’re climbing up the wrong, wrong [00:40:40] ladder faster. Yeah. So it’s not just an efficiency game. It’s a question [00:40:45] of which ladder should I climb? Should I climb the one that gets me richest? Or should I climb the one that [00:40:50] gets me happiest? Or should I climb the one that gets other people happiest or whatever it is. So, so, [00:40:55] you know. And these successful people you’re talking about. Yeah. Outside of the, you know, the unethical [00:41:00] ones, often their pursuit is something else. Money is the result of that [00:41:05] pursuit, ideally.

Vanita Rattan: So for me, I can only talk about myself because I can’t talk about [00:41:10] others. For me, it just so happens the thing that I’m passionate about, which by the way, could have [00:41:15] fallen flat on my face, right? I’ve invested my whole life into skin of colour and easily. [00:41:20] It could have not have resonated. People might not have watched and people might not have cared. And I would have invested my whole life, my whole [00:41:25] savings, everything into this thing. It just so happened the thing that I’m passionate about, enough [00:41:30] people could see the benefit and enough people bought into my vision [00:41:35] to, to, to make all those three ladders align. But it might [00:41:40] not always be that your three ladders are aligned and you’re going to have to pick. So I fully understand what you’re saying. [00:41:45] And I understand that some people are going to pick different ladders for me. I’m just grateful that all three ladders aligned. [00:41:50]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. But there’s another dimension as well. You know, we’re all medically kind of you are [00:41:55] intensely trained. And, you know, what is it to be a professional? [00:42:00] Yeah. What is that?

Vanita Rattan: So for me, um, for me, being a professional means [00:42:05] you’ve done a certain level of education. You’ve passed certain exams that are international [00:42:10] standards. Um, and then you have a level of ethics. So [00:42:15] you. Hippocratic oath, Hippocratic oath, but also, and more than that, it’s a respect for your colleagues [00:42:20] and never doing anything to harm your profession, [00:42:25] harm your colleagues, um, but also holding each other to high standards. [00:42:30] So pushing boundaries, um, and sometimes disagreeing [00:42:35] with your colleagues in order to push boundaries, which I do quite a lot. Because guess [00:42:40] what? There’s only about 8% of, um, skin of colour images, [00:42:45] even in medical books. And my whole, for me, my whole research has been on skin of colour, [00:42:50] so I do tend to be in this field a lot. Um, but yeah, for me that’s what it means. [00:42:55] But it’s.

Payman Langroudi: It’s an important question, right? Insomuch as you’re the, you are a doctor brand. Yeah. [00:43:00] Yeah. You are a doctor brand. Yeah. I’m not a doctor brand. I mean, I happen to be a dentist. Yeah. [00:43:05] But I’m not using the fact that I’m a dentist to to sell anything. Yeah, that’s not what I’m selling through. [00:43:10] Um, if you’re a doctor brand and we’re saying being a professional is all things that you [00:43:15] said on top of that stuff, like ethical stuff like, um, what you do when [00:43:20] no one else is looking kind of as a dentist is massive, right? No one is looking at [00:43:25] what you’re really doing on top of maybe, you know, putting the patient’s interests before [00:43:30] your own. Yeah. Then you have to understand, when I say steel man, understand what [00:43:35] the critics are saying, the critics are saying, look, you’re using the doctor brand to make money. [00:43:40] The doctor brand also represents the patient’s interests. Before. Before yours. [00:43:45] Wait wait wait wait. Of course, of course. When you’re running a successful company like you are, you’re aligning [00:43:50] the patient’s best interests with your best interests. Of course. Yeah. But it’s important [00:43:55] in every situation. If you support Palestine over Israel, super important to know what the Israelis are thinking. [00:44:00]

Vanita Rattan: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Isn’t it like whatever it is.

Rhona Eskander: And I think there is something to be said for that because [00:44:05] I think it’s really important. And again, I’ll tell you this because I’ve been in the firing line of [00:44:10] this the first time I got asked. So as you know, I’m a massive contributor of ITV [00:44:15] this morning. I go on a lot, right, and love working with them. I got asked to be on another [00:44:20] TV channel, which I won’t name big big TV channel. The first time that I got [00:44:25] asked to be on I went the way that I would normally go. Went to hair and makeup. They do hair and [00:44:30] makeup and I went and I looked great. Then a lot of people DM’d me that [00:44:35] had watched it and were really angry. I went on, I did oral hygiene advice, [00:44:40] and the reason why they were angry is because apparently this institute shouldn’t look. [00:44:45] Shouldn’t use such glamorous looking people, and that the medical industry [00:44:50] has failed in the UK because we no longer represent the Florence [00:44:55] Nightingale type healthcare professional. So this was interesting [00:45:00] because I was like, I’m meant to look a certain way to make you feel more comfortable. [00:45:05]

Rhona Eskander: And I do think that there is this subconscious bias. Listen, I am glam. I’ve always [00:45:10] been glam. That’s me. I’m Middle Eastern. You know how it rolls as well. You know, with Middle Eastern being like [00:45:15] out there. But the fact is, is that he thinks that I’m more trustworthy and more believable [00:45:20] if I look like Florence Nightingale, who helped like war victims. Right. So I do [00:45:25] think and then he started berating me about, I don’t know, some person in my DMs [00:45:30] right then started berating me about why I don’t work on the NHS anymore. [00:45:35] And I do think, like what Payman was saying is that people think because we’re healthcare [00:45:40] professionals, there’s almost like a misalignment because you have to be so [00:45:45] indebted to the health care system that almost you shouldn’t [00:45:50] be worrying about things like money. I don’t agree with that because I have my own private practice and [00:45:55] I still have very high ethical and moral standards. But I understand what you’re [00:46:00] saying, that people do have this connotation of the way doctors and dentists should look like and behave.

Payman Langroudi: I [00:46:05] mean, the guy who DM’d you and said, that is a dick. I’m really sorry.

Vanita Rattan: You went through that. I think that’s just ridiculous. [00:46:10]

Payman Langroudi: He is a dick. But it’s important to understand why. What was the guy thinking? To [00:46:15] act on it and say, you should be like this. That makes him a bit of a.

Vanita Rattan: He might.

Payman Langroudi: Have a bit of a fool.

Vanita Rattan: Things [00:46:20] going on, I.

Payman Langroudi: Don’t. Yeah, yeah. That too.

Rhona Eskander: I do think as well. And, you know, the thing is I did joke because [00:46:25] I did. You see my. So I put it on trial reels because I was really angry. I was in the I was in the rain [00:46:30] the other day going on the tube like really angry, like a little Grinch. Right. [00:46:35] And like, do you know about trial reels? So trial reels, you know, of course you can post a reel [00:46:40] on Instagram that you don’t show your normal audience. And if it does well to another audience, [00:46:45] they post it on your real grid. So I was there, pissed off, and on a whim. I was [00:46:50] just like, so if all the other dentists are taking private jets and I’m here on the tube [00:46:55] and it started to go viral and I was like, oh crap, you know? And the thing is, and then it posted [00:47:00] it on my real one. And I was like, really embarrassed all of a sudden.

Payman Langroudi: It was brilliant. I thought it was brilliant.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah. But [00:47:05] that was the point. Because also at the same time, I think that there is a difference between actual success and [00:47:10] what you’re projecting, because certain dentists that claim to be taking private jets [00:47:15] from one regional city to another regional city, it’s like, but what’s the point in that? Do [00:47:20] you know what I mean? You know, just be like a normal human. I feel like.

Payman Langroudi: The version of your brow lift [00:47:25] or whatever, you know, like it’s content as far as they’re concerned. It’s content.

Vanita Rattan: That’s content. Yeah. For me, it’s actually the other way. [00:47:30] So my followers know that we I’ve never actually, I don’t know if they know, hey guys, I don’t know if you know this. [00:47:35] Yeah.

Rhona Eskander: We heard it first here. Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: We’ve never accepted [00:47:40] um investment from any anyone. And we’re.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah, let’s talk about that.

Vanita Rattan: Let’s talk about that. [00:47:45] We get offered it all the time. And I say no all the time. Um, because [00:47:50] a couple of reasons. Number one, it means I’m, I’m [00:47:55] very careful with every pound that we spend. Number two, it means that no [00:48:00] one has control over me. And so for me, money equals freedom. Yeah. And I make [00:48:05] some absurd decisions. I’ll give you an example. We we launched [00:48:10] the world’s first mineral sunscreen for the body. It was a [00:48:15] break even product of a hero product. Like imagine your hero product. It [00:48:20] makes no sense for you to make it three times the size at two [00:48:25] thirds of the cost, which is your break even price and sell it. It makes no financial [00:48:30] sense, but I know that my community needed it, and I’m the only one that had the formula, [00:48:35] and I’m the only one who’s going to go and do that. Whereas if I had investors, there’s no way I would have [00:48:40] been allowed to.

Payman Langroudi: I disagree with that, insomuch as my biggest regret is not taking [00:48:45] on investment. Oh, really? Really? And my and my excuses were all the same as yours. Tell [00:48:50] me. Yeah. I don’t want anyone to interfere. And there’s some things I do that make sense. We [00:48:55] have stupid parties with, you know that. We spend loads of money just having fun. Yeah. [00:49:00] Um. Same excuses. We’re in London. Yeah. The investment capital of the [00:49:05] world. Yeah. You could, if you got the right investor, the right investor didn’t interfere. [00:49:10] You go buy your three adjacent companies and, [00:49:15] you know, I can’t.

Vanita Rattan: Even deal with my own one company. Imagine three adjacent companies.

Payman Langroudi: My my point [00:49:20] is, my point is don’t, don’t don’t tell yourself the story of control [00:49:25] and la la la la la. If it was like that, there would be. There would be. Yeah, but there’s a [00:49:30] small downside of that. Yeah. But the upside of if I inject 50 million into the business. Yeah. [00:49:35]

Vanita Rattan: I just I don’t think it changed my business. That’s the thing. It’s like if you gave me ten.

Payman Langroudi: You don’t, then you’re not the right person [00:49:40] to take investment, but the right person like your your partner, let’s say just [00:49:45] for the sake of the argument, your husband. Yeah, yeah. If he made a little business plan, if [00:49:50] 50 million came in, he would do X, Y, and Z. I’m it’s a silly thing to say because no [00:49:55] one throws 50 million at you. At. You like that. Yeah, but we’re in London. We’re in the centre [00:50:00] of everything. You’re an amazing operator. Amazing operator. So you leveraged [00:50:05] you scalable. Yeah. Could be extraordinary. You could be like Glossier [00:50:10] or whatever it is. You know, I don’t know anything about skincare.

Vanita Rattan: I’ve thought about this and I just don’t know [00:50:15] if investment would even work for me. So for example, Sephora is where usually a lot of brands [00:50:20] like the dream is to get into Sephora, right? And you need, you need about 10 million, honestly, [00:50:25] before you even think about Sephora, because you need stock in every like you need end [00:50:30] caps cost money, everything costs money in Sephora. But if you look at the margins [00:50:35] of Sephora takes and then the cost of my products, I would be breaking even.

Rhona Eskander: Listen. [00:50:40]

Vanita Rattan: No matter how much investment you give me, it wouldn’t even make it decent.

Rhona Eskander: That [00:50:45] stuff is all branding exercise because obviously I’m a co-founder of parlour and we’re in the big all of the big retailers [00:50:50] Ocado, Sainsbury’s, boots. But the thing is, we don’t rely on that. Like getting [00:50:55] into the retailers for anybody has never been. And I’ll tell you, the girlfriend of mine that I told [00:51:00] you that has the jewellery brand. I said to her, what’s your biggest regret? She said to me, going [00:51:05] into Net-A-Porter, going into Liberty’s, going into Selfridges, she was like, [00:51:10] it absolutely slashed it. She was like, because they basically take everything and you make nothing. [00:51:15] Essentially, she’s like, yeah, sure. It put the brand out there. She’s like, but if I stayed as a brand that [00:51:20] was direct to consumer website, that’s where I was making the profit. [00:51:25] And then you start getting caught up, oh, but I’m in Net-A-Porter, I’m in this, I’m in that. Do you see what I mean?

Payman Langroudi: I had [00:51:30] a meeting with there was a very famous toothpaste. I’ll tell you once we switch off the.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah. Mike’s. [00:51:35]

Payman Langroudi: Mike’s very famous toothpaste that came. It looked like it was doing so well. And it did do well. Yeah, [00:51:40] it was in every single supermarket in volume. You know, it was like they had whole shelves [00:51:45] had a meeting with the the number two there. I said, so how much money were you guys making [00:51:50] back then? And it was like, oh, £4 million or something like turning over £4 million. Yeah. And if you [00:51:55] weren’t.

Vanita Rattan: Turning.

Payman Langroudi: Over. Yeah. If you went into stores.

Vanita Rattan: By the way, they’re making nothing. Yeah. Because you’re [00:52:00] turning over 4 million. You’re making. Yeah, exactly. 50pa it depends.

Payman Langroudi: A [00:52:05] product depends on your situation. Right. But but but you’re right. Insomuch as they slashed [00:52:10] prices you know what boots is like. Buy two, get one free. You fund.

Vanita Rattan: It. Oh my.

Payman Langroudi: Goodness.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah. [00:52:15] You fund.

Payman Langroudi: It. Tesco said oh bring us a different skew that we can sell at, you know [00:52:20] the same price as Colgate or whatever. This guy wasn’t Colgate. Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: Because you’re not as scalable. [00:52:25] Yeah. And especially with me I’ve put so many actives into my products. Yeah. I would be making a loss. [00:52:30]

Payman Langroudi: No of course, of course.

Vanita Rattan: But I feel like the worst because.

Payman Langroudi: He’s taken the product that started [00:52:35] out, by the way, in toothpaste. £12 is a lot for that. [00:52:40] It started out as a £12 toothpaste and it ended up as a £3 991.

Vanita Rattan: Oh my.

Payman Langroudi: Goodness. And [00:52:45] my point is, even though it looked like it was everywhere and it was a success story, the [00:52:50] maximum he turned over was £4 million.

Vanita Rattan: So many businesses going under from Sephora right now like skin [00:52:55] of colour businesses in skincare. In my world, I just think, and they look like they’re doing so [00:53:00] well. They had investment they had in every magazine. Like, what more could you want? Right? [00:53:05]

Rhona Eskander: Can I ask you something as well? Do you think. Do you feel. Because obviously we’re a similar age. [00:53:10] The Eurocentric beauty standards, did it have a really negative impact on you [00:53:15] growing up?

Payman Langroudi: What does that mean? White skin.

Rhona Eskander: Like. Yeah, yeah. White skin, blue eyes, blonde [00:53:20] hair.

Vanita Rattan: So I went to, I went to one of the, an incredible school, one of the top schools in the country. [00:53:25] And it was everyone was, you know, what’s called a lay down holiday school for girls. [00:53:30] We were the fourth best in the country when we did GCSEs and A levels. Like really everyone [00:53:35] was Mensa students. Incredible. Incredible. School teachers were amazing and [00:53:40] I was one of the, I think 2 or 3 Indians in the year like everybody, and one black girl [00:53:45] who was my best friend, like literally everyone was Caucasian. Um, and I really struggled [00:53:50] at school on so many different fronts. I think that was one of the fronts. I also was like, [00:53:55] my body shape didn’t fit the white Caucasian body shape. Um, [00:54:00] my hair growth. Yeah. And then also had a very strict [00:54:05] upbringing, very different background, immigrant mentality. So very boarding school. [00:54:10] It wasn’t a boarding school. No, but I was quite isolated. I couldn’t really make friends because I had nothing [00:54:15] in common. Like the conversation was everything.

Rhona Eskander: I do think social media has been great for that because it’s the same like between [00:54:20] 16 to 18. I used to get scouted for modelling quite a lot, and then like the Caucasian girls [00:54:25] that I was living with, because I did in university were like, you need to lose weight again, like watching [00:54:30] America’s Next Top Model was so triggering for me. Now with the new lens, because [00:54:35] those beauty standards like I wasn’t Kate Moss, I wasn’t, you know what I mean? They’d always make me feel [00:54:40] really like they would call me the exotic one, which now I feel like is a little bit derogatory in a way, because [00:54:45] I’m like, well, just because I had tan skin and like Middle Eastern features. So I am grateful [00:54:50] for the boom in social media and also the massive appreciation for different cultures [00:54:55] and different types of beauty. And I even went to like Diwali with L’Oreal. And [00:55:00] even though I’m not Asian, but it was so nice to see like the celebration of women of different [00:55:05] skin tones at something like that. So I think it’s been a really amazing movement [00:55:10] and has obviously also benefited your brand in a way, because people have recognised that [00:55:15] their needs are going to be different from someone else that’s always been advertised for.

Vanita Rattan: Yeah, I think [00:55:20] looking at my daughter now, she doesn’t have any of the same qualms that I had. Yeah, like [00:55:25] her mom is a skin of colour, like ambassador. Yeah. All she sees this kind of colour and she goes [00:55:30] to a beautiful, amazing school. But all the girls are also [00:55:35] Asian, so she doesn’t even like the thoughts that I would have.

Payman Langroudi: She doesn’t eat [00:55:40] generations different though. It’s totally different.

Vanita Rattan: It’s so.

Payman Langroudi: Lucky. It’s a really good side to it, which.

Vanita Rattan: Is. [00:55:45]

Rhona Eskander: A good side. Are you using pronouns?

Payman Langroudi: No, no, I don’t like pronouns.

Rhona Eskander: But are you using them now because [00:55:50] your kids use them? Sure. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Do they know my kids? My kids? My kids go [00:55:55] to French school. French school is very, very, um, conservative in that sense.

Rhona Eskander: I want to I want to ask [00:56:00] doctor V as well because we are running out of time. Can you believe it feels like it’s been five minutes.

Vanita Rattan: I feel like we just [00:56:05] started. I was just getting into my stride.

Rhona Eskander: My question is what’s your darkest moment [00:56:10] in business been?

Vanita Rattan: My darkest moment in oh gosh, there’s so many. [00:56:15] Where do I start? Um, I think should we talk about like, [00:56:20] like having children and.

Rhona Eskander: Doing it can be a case of what is your darkest moments? [00:56:25] Not in business and life. What has it been in life?

Vanita Rattan: I think probably [00:56:30] something I haven’t really spoken about. And that was having a miscarriage. And [00:56:35] that was after Sienna and before Josh and [00:56:40] it happened in clinic. So I remember it happening. I had a whole [00:56:45] list of patients that day, um, at the hypertension clinic. And you can’t cancel. [00:56:50] And there’s nothing I could do. Like whether I lie in bed at home or [00:56:55] I go to work. Like wasn’t going to make any difference. And so I remember just [00:57:00] sitting in the clinic chair and like, I had my sanitary towel, like multiple [00:57:05] and just having to just get through and everything’s cramping. And anyone that’s been through a miscarriage knows [00:57:10] how painful it is.

Payman Langroudi: You knew what was happening.

Vanita Rattan: I knew what was happening.

Rhona Eskander: And I think it’s really sad because [00:57:15] I’ve been very vocal in my first miscarriage. Uh, well, my miscarriage also [00:57:20] had happened. I didn’t know when it was going to happen. They knew what was going to happen within the week. And I actually went to go see my sister in [00:57:25] Paris. And I got really ill and I was vomiting and I went to A&E and they thought it was food poisoning. [00:57:30] But in hindsight, I really don’t think it was because me and my sister ate exactly the same thing. And then two days in clinic and [00:57:35] I remember having to get through the consultation. And I think that’s because, and I honestly said it was [00:57:40] one of the worst experiences of my entire life. Like, I felt like I was dying and I had to get an Uber [00:57:45] home. And I remember trying to grab my phone in the bathroom to call my partner because I was [00:57:50] like, oh my God, this is unbearable. And no one talks about it. And it’s like, and it’s like we’re [00:57:55] expected to just get on with it. So I totally relate to that.

Vanita Rattan: I don’t think people realise 1 in 4 pregnancies [00:58:00] lead to miscarriage, 1 in 4. That means that if you get pregnant 3 [00:58:05] or 4 times like you’re, most women at some point are likely [00:58:10] to have a miscarriage.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: How far gone were you before?

Vanita Rattan: So it was within the first six weeks. [00:58:15] So it was like pain, but it was like managed like I could [00:58:20] do it by myself. It wasn’t like I had to go to hospital. Um. Um.

Payman Langroudi: How old were.

Vanita Rattan: You? Yeah.

Rhona Eskander: I [00:58:25] was like 7 or 8 weeks and I was also I didn’t have to go to hospital, but I was, I thought I was [00:58:30] dying. That’s how I felt like I, I called my dad up because he’s a gynaecologist. And I was like, do I need to call an ambulance? [00:58:35] It was that bad. And it went on for like hours. I don’t know how long yours went or the pain was terrible.

Vanita Rattan: It was like the whole day. [00:58:40] And I was like talking to patients. I remember them talking to me about the pigmentation and I’m like, blacking out. Yeah, I remember sweating. [00:58:45] And just in hindsight, it’s actually so silly that I didn’t cancel and that I didn’t just stay [00:58:50] in bed. Yeah. It’s actually like, what is wrong with me that I, but.

Rhona Eskander: I think that is the medical part of us. [00:58:55] Yeah, but no, but I think it’s the medical part. I think lots of doctors and dentists struggle to cancel on their patients. [00:59:00] I feel like I cannot let patients down even now. I can’t I the [00:59:05] day I went into an emergency c section, I’d done a full day at work. No. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, let me ask you that. [00:59:10] When you say people don’t talk about it, is it that people don’t like your friends, don’t [00:59:15] tell you if they’ve had a miscarriage or.

Rhona Eskander: No, I think we don’t talk.

Payman Langroudi: About how.

Rhona Eskander: Difficult.

Payman Langroudi: The actual the.

Rhona Eskander: Actual [00:59:20] feeling. I think also it’s the expectations that women are expected to give birth. [00:59:25] Women are expected to fall pregnant, like just deal with it. And all the complications around getting pregnant, [00:59:30] staying pregnant and giving birth are so highly complicated and even the hormonal [00:59:35] aspect of it. So I did want to ask you as well, like, did you have any kind of hormonal [00:59:40] challenges running the business with your kids, anything like that?

Vanita Rattan: I wouldn’t [00:59:45] even know. Like, you know, it’s a bit of a blur. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, you’re.

Payman Langroudi: You.

Vanita Rattan: Do you know what I [00:59:50] mean? You’re like at war.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: You’ve got to get things done. And but I feel like I’ve attacked my whole [00:59:55] life. Like it’s a war. Like everything is like we need to get this done, need to get this thing done. It’s, um, [01:00:00] I haven’t really approached anything relaxed and calm and worrying [01:00:05] about what’s happening in my body. It’s very much like we need to get X, Y, and z done now for the first time [01:00:10] at 42, my body is saying, no, you’re going to listen to me. And the palpitations was like the [01:00:15] first sign for me that you wanted.

Rhona Eskander: To slow.

Vanita Rattan: Down, have to listen to your body and you can’t run [01:00:20] your life like you did in your 20s and your 30s. You cannot be like this in your 40s. Yeah, [01:00:25] you have to slow down. You have to listen to your body. You have to do what’s good for you. I wouldn’t even like the question [01:00:30] you’re asking about hormones. I wouldn’t even know. Honestly, it was just a just a blur.

Rhona Eskander: You were just on autopilot.

Vanita Rattan: Autopilot. [01:00:35] It was like, get through it, get through it, get through it. Like next day, next day, you know, like.

Payman Langroudi: Do you know guys? Do you know people, [01:00:40] friends of yours who’ve had multiple miscarriages?

Rhona Eskander: Yes I do. And they say that it’s like so [01:00:45] traumatic. And you can see that it’s drained them because you know what? It’s like your hormones take a while to [01:00:50] kind of like gain and you do so psychologically. Yeah. Psychologically, it’s.

Payman Langroudi: Just sometimes sometimes [01:00:55] it’s, you know, late term. Yeah. Yeah. Giving birth to.

Rhona Eskander: It. I mean, I’ve, I had a patient of mine, she [01:01:00] gave birth to two twins that weren’t alive. Like they basically told her the pregnancy became [01:01:05] non-viable and she was like 7 or 8 months pregnant. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Like going [01:01:10] through a birth.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah. So, you.

Vanita Rattan: Know, work helped. So I went back to work, I think when, [01:01:15] when my kids were a month old, like straight away. Yeah. And I remember my dad telling me [01:01:20] I was getting really depressed and low at home.

Rhona Eskander: And this was with ace, right?

Vanita Rattan: With, um, so [01:01:25] with both. So I went back to the clinic. Yeah. So, um, even with, yeah, even [01:01:30] the, uh, the clinics were starting with Sienna. So I remember feeling low and my dad saying, [01:01:35] you, you are, this is not for you. Like you can’t be this like stay at home mum like you [01:01:40] are. I was getting so depressed. And again, I don’t think this is normal, Rona. I don’t know if other women [01:01:45] get so low.

Rhona Eskander: Like I find I find it hard. Like I couldn’t not. I’m constantly working. Yeah. [01:01:50] And people ask me all the time, but I have I’ve taken that position. I do think there’s a difference between [01:01:55] treating actual patients and then running a business. And I’ve now gone into more of [01:02:00] running the business mode, whereas like I focus on my patients for two days clinically, and now [01:02:05] I’m micromanaging the business because now I have a clear idea of where I want the business to go and what [01:02:10] I want to do.

Payman Langroudi: You must resonate with that idea of working in it or working on it, right? [01:02:15]

Vanita Rattan: Uh, yes. So when I was working in it, like with the clinics, um, it [01:02:20] was like it, it’s very hard to strategize. It’s very [01:02:25] hard. It’s a two, two different brains and you it’s.

Rhona Eskander: And working with patients.

Vanita Rattan: Working with patients, [01:02:30] you’re in it, right. You can’t. Now my whole world is working on it. I don’t work [01:02:35] in it anymore. Because if you think like, for me to go to the lab and make something that takes me two [01:02:40] hours, and I can do that once a month, and that’s a lot. Like, I’ve got so many formulas that we haven’t [01:02:45] even ever made. I’m like, make my own foundation just for myself. Like there’s so many formulas that [01:02:50] I have that never even came to market. That is the easy bit. Then after that, [01:02:55] for me, really, it’s like the media company part of it, which is like making as much content as possible.

Rhona Eskander: Like TikTok, [01:03:00] YouTube, Instagram.

Vanita Rattan: Everything. So that’s a whole world. I’ve got two different teams that are filming [01:03:05] for that. Then it’s the launching products. So launching products, [01:03:10] we’ve got a contract manufacturer who also fulfils our products. So that bit’s [01:03:15] also outsourced. Um, and now it’s the B2B, so now it’s, we’re launching the world’s first facial for [01:03:20] skin of colour. Right. How are we going to do this? We’re going. Yes. I can’t wait for you to get it [01:03:25] done. Um, but yeah, so this is now the next part of the business is working on [01:03:30] the business. How do we get into 1000 clinics. That’s my aim to make sure that we have the [01:03:35] best, safest facial for brown and black skin in the UK and us.

Rhona Eskander: And you’re going to basically work with [01:03:40] clinics like aesthetic clinics and things like that. Yes. So I am so excited. I feel like [01:03:45] we need like version two. I’m not even done here, you know, but we have run out [01:03:50] of time.

Payman Langroudi: Let me ask one final question.

Rhona Eskander: Go on then. Go on.

Payman Langroudi: So look, the the downside [01:03:55] of being you.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Good question. Is it that you can’t switch off [01:04:00] and you can’t relax and this sort of thing.

Vanita Rattan: Yes. So I’m getting coached at the moment. I’m getting [01:04:05] coaching to figure out what parts of my personality I’m missing. And I think the biggest [01:04:10] part that’s missing right now is the caregiver part to myself. I’ve always looked at caregiving [01:04:15] as a weakness, and actually anyone that’s been caring to themselves or caring to others, I’ve. I’ve [01:04:20] not looked at that in a positive light. I’ve. I’ve always been. Everything’s mission and everything [01:04:25] is a war.

Rhona Eskander: Did your parents do that to you?

Vanita Rattan: Yeah. They they actually regret it now. Yeah. [01:04:30] Now they’re like, we’re so sorry we turned you into the person that you are today. And I’m like, there’s [01:04:35] nothing I could do with that information. No.

Rhona Eskander: You’re amazing. You are.

Payman Langroudi: Amazing. This [01:04:40] came up in my other podcast. Do you know about, you know about Eureka, right?

Vanita Rattan: Eureka.

Payman Langroudi: Archimedes [01:04:45] principle. Yes. Yes. Yes. Liquid displacement. Yeah. And he he his. He couldn’t figure it out. [01:04:50] Whether this this crown is gold. Yeah. And then his wife said, look, take a break. Take [01:04:55] a bath. Yeah. And then he dropped it in the bath. The water displaced. He ran through the city [01:05:00] naked saying Eureka. Yeah. The point of the story is the the wife saying, [01:05:05] take a break.

Vanita Rattan: That’s my husband always telling me to take a break.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, but but, you know, just [01:05:10] frame it for yourself in that strategic sense.

Rhona Eskander: I know, but I.

Payman Langroudi: Will be the breakthrough.

Rhona Eskander: I’ll tell [01:05:15] you one strategic sense I do have.

Payman Langroudi: You’re so you’re so driven by that strategic sense.

Rhona Eskander: You’re right. I do have [01:05:20] a friend that’s I have lots of friends that are entrepreneurs. Payman is always enamoured when I bring all my guests on [01:05:25] here that I choose. But I have, I do have, I do have another friend of mine runs an incredible [01:05:30] company. Uh, she, she had a department store that was inherited from her mum and whatever. And [01:05:35] she stepped back from that when her mum passed away. And she started this company where she detoxes [01:05:40] wardrobes and she does it for very high net worth individuals. Rearranges the wardrobes. And then she also then [01:05:45] will take the stuff that they don’t want anymore, and then also like resale them. And she’s become incredibly [01:05:50] popular because it’s something that people need, like busy people like us and it’s a massive detox. And [01:05:55] she said she’s always busy and she’s finding it difficult to scale at the moment. And I said to her, what do you want to do? And she’s like, I’m going [01:06:00] to go to Ibiza for a month. I’ve never done it. And I said, why? And she goes, I need to be bored to get creative again [01:06:05] and come up with solutions. She’s like, because I am so busy every day, I’ve not got anything. [01:06:10] She was like, you know, like, I need to start getting creative again. She’s like, I need to be [01:06:15] still and do nothing. And I was like, there is something in that. And especially with the way that we are on social media, [01:06:20] you feel like if you’re not posting every second, every day, you’re missing out on [01:06:25] the Allgau and all this stuff and you’ll be forgotten. But I think the internet can do without you for a few days. It’ll be.

Vanita Rattan: Fine. I [01:06:30] actually have the best ideas on holiday. Yeah, always.

Rhona Eskander: Yeah.

Vanita Rattan: That’s why you never stop working, even on holiday. [01:06:35] Yeah. Let’s do this. And my husband’s like, will you just stop? Just stop. Yeah [01:06:40] yeah yeah.

Rhona Eskander: No, I love that. Thank you so much doctor V thank you. And for those of you that want to [01:06:45] follow her she is on social media. Her account is brilliant doctor Vanita [01:06:50] rattan. Yeah. Uh her products are amazing. I use them during pregnancy because I obviously couldn’t find [01:06:55] anything in pregnancy that was good for my skin. And I’m not saying that because I’ve been paid or anything, [01:07:00] it’s because I genuinely love the product. And I think she is an absolute powerhouse and boss. We probably will need [01:07:05] to have her on again. Thank you, thank you, thank.

{ALL}: You so much.

Payman Langroudi: This podcast is brought to you by enlighten. Enlighten is an advanced teeth whitening system. Join [00:00:05] us for online training where I’ll take you through everything you need to know about how [00:00:10] to assess a case quickly, how to use the system, how to talk to patients. Because when [00:00:15] you know you can deliver brilliant results, it’s so much easier to talk about it. To book your course, which takes [00:00:20] only an hour. It’s completely free. Visit enlighten Online training.com. [00:00:25] Now let’s get to the pod.

[VOICE]: This [00:00:30] is Dental Leaders. The podcast [00:00:35] where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [00:00:40] hosts, Payman Langroudi [00:00:45] and Prav Solanki.

Payman Langroudi: It gives me great pleasure to welcome Ali [00:00:50] Hashemi Zadeh onto the podcast. Ali, he’s a friend of mine who I’ve met across [00:00:55] different sort of young dentist stuff, even might have even been when you were a student [00:01:00] stuff. Yeah, because you’re only 27 now. Yeah. But I always see sometimes [00:01:05] when you go, you go to a wedding or something, and I don’t know, in a wedding you’ve got on one [00:01:10] side, you’ve got your, your side of the family and, you know, the other person’s. And I always think [00:01:15] about that when I look on the other side and I look at humans on the other side, look at faces. And sometimes you can [00:01:20] just make out who’s amazing and who’s who’s who’s bitter by looking [00:01:25] at someone. And with you. I just thought from the moment I saw you, the first time I saw you, I thought, this kid’s amazing. And [00:01:30] then you turned out to be amazing. You’ve got a lovely smile on your face and always insightful. [00:01:35] So lovely to have you on the pod. And well done for coming all the way from Newcastle today.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Thanks very [00:01:40] much for having me. I’ve, I’ve sort of listened to this podcast since, since I was a student. So, so it’s [00:01:45] really exciting to be here. Yeah for sure. I mean, I think the first time we met was my first ever be [00:01:50] a CD Young Dentist day. I remember really like very vividly.

Payman Langroudi: Where was there.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Somewhere [00:01:55] in London. Yeah. I can’t remember exactly, exactly where it was, especially like, go downstairs and it was a [00:02:00] big hole. Um, yeah, I think that was the first time we met. And then there was the enlightened stuff afterwards [00:02:05] as well. And then off the back of that, it’s been, I feel like numerous times a year we crossed [00:02:10] paths all the time. Yeah. It’s usually at a party of sorts. But, but [00:02:15] but yeah, we usually cross paths.

Payman Langroudi: So you, you, you know, um, but by the [00:02:20] way, we’re going to be crossing paths again at the Ministry of Sound. Yeah. Of course.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I’m looking forward to it [00:02:25] for sure.

Payman Langroudi: But you’re, you’re a young dentist who, um, for me based [00:02:30] on you’re only 27 doing a lot, doing a lot. You, [00:02:35] you’re working up in private practice in Newcastle and Sunderland. [00:02:40] Yeah. And, uh, kind of focussed in on endo um [00:02:45] as a sort of dentist with a special interest. Yeah. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um so [00:02:50] yeah, I mean, I think it’s, I sort of fell into it. Uh, I’ve, I’ve always liked [00:02:55] tender. Since uni it’s always been quite interesting. I think the intricate problem solving [00:03:00] kind of tickles a part of my brain. But going [00:03:05] into that sort of pathway of doing general dentistry with loads of endo alongside it kind of fell [00:03:10] into my lap. It was just fortunate timing. Um, and then I ran with it, you know, it worked [00:03:15] and I enjoyed it. So I’ve just kind of kept going to be honest. So it [00:03:20] was like a fortunate accident, I guess, as a way to put it. So, um, yeah, I mean, [00:03:25] I can’t complain at all. Both my practices are great. Get on with everyone really well. And [00:03:30] the opportunity I’ve had to do everything, you know, all sorts of treatment is [00:03:35] for my age as well. It’s been it’s been so much fun. You know, I can’t fault it [00:03:40] at all.

Payman Langroudi: So, you know, I’m learning while you go at [00:03:45] your stage in your career, it’s inevitable, right? Because you start with a [00:03:50] low base. So you’re learning all the time. Yeah. Yeah. But Definitely is. One of [00:03:55] the keys to being a happy dentist is to keep on improving and [00:04:00] many don’t. Many get to a certain stage and [00:04:05] and sort of stay at that stage. And then many do. And from my perspective, [00:04:10] I see people come from whenever when I saw you must have been a final year or something.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. [00:04:15] Just graduated.

Payman Langroudi: I see people, you know, final year just graduated, just finished PhD, whatever it is. [00:04:20] And then, you know, some people know very little. And then in my arc of, [00:04:25] uh, work, you know, five years is nothing. It’s five years later, you [00:04:30] see them being super good at some stuff and, you know, and it’s a really lovely thing to see, number [00:04:35] one. But my, my general advice is keep that curiosity for [00:04:40] the job itself going continuously. And, and you must [00:04:45] see it in your bosses, right. You work at Ken Harris’s place.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah. I mean, like their, [00:04:50] their The undying attention to detail, right? Like the constant [00:04:55] improvement is, is like so inspiring. And something I noticed, um, [00:05:00] was that the last BACD conference last year, um, I was sat in the second row [00:05:05] and the row in front of me was all the fellows. So you got like Ken and all the other guys [00:05:10] who’ve been, you know, there towards the end of their career, they’ve, they’ve peaked, they’ve done everything. There’s [00:05:15] some of the best clinicians. And you look around and middle of the lecture, you look around and [00:05:20] the only people taking notes was that group of people. And everyone else is on [00:05:25] the phone, like scrolling or paying attention, not paying attention and just, just listening, like me included. [00:05:30] I was just listening, trying to take it all in. But all of those guys were just sat there scribbling notes after notes, after [00:05:35] notes. That’s amazing. It’s like this dedication to always learning and always just being better and better and better. [00:05:40] It’s yeah, it’s.

Payman Langroudi: You know, I know, I know he was he, [00:05:45] there’s a, there was a practice. Mike Wyse’s practice. Okay. He he was the undisputed [00:05:50] best dentist Britain has ever produced, right? Everyone agreed at the time he was just another level. [00:05:55] Yeah, he’s written the book failures. Failures in the Restored dentition. Quintessence, a brilliant, [00:06:00] brilliant book. But he was just undisputed number one. Yeah. And he sold his practice [00:06:05] to an oyster. Yeah. So. And, you know, he’s a very accomplished dentist. You know, he [00:06:10] was clinical lead at one of the big corporates. And then he does a full mouth dentistry on [00:06:15] international clients all the time. He came to many smile makeover. And I’ve never [00:06:20] seen anyone take as much notice as this guy. And he’s like, no, I don’t know, 58 [00:06:25] or something. Yeah. Still like so many notes. I saw [00:06:30] him halfway through the day on the first day, and he had maybe 12 pages [00:06:35] of notes and he’s like.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You know, you’re like, you’re, you’re learning never ends, [00:06:40] right. And you know, especially no matter what the topic is like, he’s probably in sensational [00:06:45] doing composite bonding or, you know, composite veneers or whatever. But there’s still going to be loads of tips [00:06:50] and tricks that he’s going to learn along the way, whether that’s even someone who’s like just graduated or someone [00:06:55] who’s towards the end of their career, there’s also something you can learn, but I guess that’s a.

Payman Langroudi: So can I [00:07:00] run something by you? Right. Were you at all involved in the a, c, d as far as the [00:07:05] you know how it worked. The conference. You had something to do with it, didn’t you?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Not not a whole lot, to be honest. [00:07:10] Um on the day. Yes. A lot of helping out where I could, you know, put myself. [00:07:15] But amongst the organising of the actual event less so, um, hopefully in the next [00:07:20] few years I’ll be more involved in that stuff.

Payman Langroudi: But so the reason I ask is that, you know, when [00:07:25] I qualified and when you qualify like 20, 30 years apart from each other, everything’s [00:07:30] changed in dentistry so much, but events haven’t, events haven’t moved on. [00:07:35] Yeah, yeah. Events have been basically the same. The not much change. Yeah. Guy standing [00:07:40] at the top talking for an hour. Mhm. And then, you know, we go to events [00:07:45] and every time I go to an event, I do pick up 1 or 2 things. Yeah. And that question [00:07:50] of is it possible to distil those 1 or 2 things into much shorter presentations, [00:07:55] Ted style, if you like. Yeah. Yeah. And it’s interesting. Ted is [00:08:00] 17 minutes. Yeah. And 17 minutes is not long enough to go deep into [00:08:05] a subject. Yeah. Yeah. And yet we’ve all listened to loads of Ted talks and [00:08:10] big subjects have been discussed. I don’t know which ones you think of. I [00:08:15] think it’s the Simon Sinek, the concentric circles or whatever. I saw one on education. There’s [00:08:20] so many. And 17 minutes is a long time for the audience, but a tiny amount [00:08:25] of time for the lecturer. Yeah. And I was thinking this notion of like, this thing we’re doing at ministry, [00:08:30] like we got 30 speakers. Yeah. Okay. And let’s say each speaker’s got two nuggets [00:08:35] in their, in their head, their donation to the world of dentistry. I [00:08:40] think for enlightened, I have two nuggets in my head. Yeah. We don’t talk [00:08:45] about that. So but if you come out of that event, 30 speakers, let’s say you manage to catch 15 of [00:08:50] them and 15 of them give you the two nuggets, because the whole point of the event [00:08:55] was to distil the the signal from the noise. Yeah. Yeah. Then [00:09:00] you walk out of that event with 30 nuggets. Yeah. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: It’s an interesting [00:09:05] idea.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Smart. Yeah. It’s a smart way of doing it as well because.

Payman Langroudi: It’s difficult as the lecturer. I don’t know [00:09:10] if you’ve ever given a lecture.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I have less so clinical based. But yeah, it’s tricky. It’s also tricky knowing what people [00:09:15] want to want to learn. Right. The, I guess the beauty in having long form content is [00:09:20] people can can decide what is their nugget. Because what I’ll find is a nugget [00:09:25] will be different to yours, right? Yeah. So if, if you’re you as a lecturer, go up with a 20 minute lecture and [00:09:30] you’re like, okay, I’m dead set on these are the two most important things part of the lecture that I think people will [00:09:35] want to learn. Yeah. You might find that 80% of the crowd actually want [00:09:40] certain other things. Yeah. There’s there’s pros and cons to both, right?

Payman Langroudi: No, I get that. But isn’t [00:09:45] it an interesting notion? Right. Even even at your stage in your career? Yeah. There are two things [00:09:50] that are Ali things. Yeah. By the way, you sometimes you have to look deep [00:09:55] to think about what are those two things? Yeah. But there are two things. Yeah. If I gave [00:10:00] you the challenge, I said, look for the next week. Just sit back and really think about your two contributions [00:10:05] to the profession so far. Yeah. It could even be one of them. Could be. Listen, [00:10:10] do more self-development podcasts. Yeah. Or the full distillation of all the self-development [00:10:15] podcasts that you’ve done is for me. I don’t know, planning ahead is a great idea. Goals are a great [00:10:20] idea. Whatever it is. Yeah. But you know, we all have two that we, we think are our, are [00:10:25] our we’ve got five or 6 or 1 or nothing, you know, that we think are our contribution to [00:10:30] the profession. It’s an interesting notion.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I mean, it’s going to be interesting to see what it what it comes [00:10:35] out like on the day, right? When you’ve got all these different speakers with different nuggets to come across. Yeah. [00:10:40] It’ll be interesting when you ask people afterwards.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Of the 30 speakers, how much [00:10:45] did you get? Probably loads, you know. But it would be interesting when you speak to the speakers, how they found [00:10:50] the process of distilling all the content into such short form.

Payman Langroudi: Um, [00:10:55] but how do you feel it’s a 27 year old with a TikTok, um, attention span, whatever. I know this is a cliche. [00:11:00] Yeah. How do you feel about what I’m saying about Dental events? Do they need a shake up or not? I [00:11:05] think, am I wrong about it? Like there’s that.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I think for sure. I mean, you [00:11:10] know, you speak to younger people in general. Our attention spans are pretty.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:11:15]

Ali Hashemizadeh: But what do you think. Terrible. But so I think I think it’s difficult. It’s [00:11:20] difficult until you experience it. But it would make sense because our [00:11:25] attention span is so small. You know, we’re so used to short form content. It’s rare that people [00:11:30] sit and watch a movie without going on their phones and whatnot. So like it it does [00:11:35] make sense that it would work and it would work pretty well. Um, the, I guess The hard [00:11:40] part is when you bring into into presentations, when it comes to like clinical aspects, you know, workflows through [00:11:45] cases, you might just be a case of one case, one case, you know, one big case, the one, and [00:11:50] then the one big case and then going, okay, this is the, this is the key part here, this, [00:11:55] this section. Now this is what I want you guys to take home. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Um, the other thing we’re doing is treatment planning [00:12:00] forums, right. As a young dentist, you must come across whether you’ve got Ken Harris to go to with your treatment [00:12:05] plans. Right. But, but what I’m saying is, you know, you’ve got a case, right? Which way should it go? Yeah. [00:12:10] And we know we all know three dentists for treatment plans, right. So we’re trying to do that. Like one guy, Chris Hall, will [00:12:15] come up and say this is the case. Then these three experts will say what they think it should happen. Then [00:12:20] the audience votes with, you know, mentimeter vote for which and then Chris Hall says what [00:12:25] he did. Yeah. Yeah. It was interesting.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Because, yeah, it shows you that there’s [00:12:30] no right way of doing it, you know? Yeah. But ultimately, I think for us as young dentists, the hardest part [00:12:35] is the right treatment plan. Yeah. Because, you know, the more you learn, the more you [00:12:40] realise you don’t know and the harder these cases get. Yeah. Um, and then you’ll go to different mentors [00:12:45] and be like, okay, well, how do I approach this case in a, B, C? They’ll give, like you said, like four different treatment plans. [00:12:50] But I guess the beauty in that will show that there isn’t a right way. It’s just personal [00:12:55] preference. You know, Chris, I was going to do it totally differently to someone else, but the outcome is going to be as, [00:13:00] as I can imagine, amazing. You know.

Payman Langroudi: So or not, right?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Because [00:13:05] or potentially not.

Payman Langroudi: But by the way, another thing I wanted to do, but I haven’t figured it out in [00:13:10] time, I think is failures. Yeah. I want the whole event called [00:13:15] failures. Yeah. People keep telling me, no, no, no, people won’t won’t do that. And I just can’t believe it. I [00:13:20] just think, why wouldn’t you? I love like talking about your failures like a the [00:13:25] best way to learn it says like, I learned this because of this failure. Yeah. Yeah. [00:13:30] And you must in your short career, you must remember a couple of things.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You.

Payman Langroudi: Learned [00:13:35] because something failed.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I mean, it’s the only way you really learn.

Payman Langroudi: You really is.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, [00:13:40] yeah. Because it’s the ones that it’s like anyone, you know, all the cases [00:13:45] that have been successful. Yeah. Don’t really stay in your mind that much. But the case is that week, [00:13:50] week to week are difficult or not going to plan or always in the back of your head, you’re [00:13:55] always thinking about them. Those are the ones that stand out, and those are the ones you’re going to learn from the most. So yeah, definitely. [00:14:00] I think an event on failures would only work, I think.

Payman Langroudi: You think. But no, the people tell me, speakers [00:14:05] tell me that other speakers won’t share their failures. I just think that’s not kind of the case.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It comes down [00:14:10] to who you pick. You know, some speakers. Yeah, some speakers are probably going to be a bit more, um. [00:14:15]

Payman Langroudi: I don’t know. It’s a, it’s a weird.

Payman Langroudi: Thing, man. Like why wouldn’t you, why wouldn’t you share? [00:14:20] We’ve all got them. Why wouldn’t you share them? But yeah, so have you been, you seem [00:14:25] to me right now to be super sort of focussed and super optimistic about work. [00:14:30] And you’re really enjoying your work. Have you always been that cat or was there like an [00:14:35] inflection point?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um.

Payman Langroudi: Are you more suited to work than study? For instance, [00:14:40] I was.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, I think with work, I’ve [00:14:45] always had a pretty optimistic, I think I’m quite an optimistic person in general, but my [00:14:50] approach to work has always been trying to make it as enjoyable, as fun as possible. Because like, I guess my fear [00:14:55] would be to wake, you know, it’s like Sunday night and you’ve got the absolute fear of waking up like that [00:15:00] is something I want to avoid in totality. So if I can make work, fun, work, [00:15:05] make it enjoyable, then that’s like the ultimate goal. So the benefit now [00:15:10] is I can pick and choose what I do and what I don’t do. So I’ve got that that’s, you know, really [00:15:15] fortunate. So, you know, waking up on a Monday morning is easy. You know, I enjoy it. But now, [00:15:20] I wouldn’t say it’s always been like that. When I first, first qualified PhD, [00:15:25] it was great. I really, I had a really good time. But then when I went into my first job, [00:15:30] so I was a mixed practice associate not long in London. In London, not long [00:15:35] into the year, I think three months in maybe. I had a [00:15:40] complaint that totally like.

Payman Langroudi: Knocked.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You rocked my world.

Payman Langroudi: It [00:15:45] was no.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It was honestly, it wasn’t even it honestly was a [00:15:50] mixture of like poor communication, me trying to be as fast as I [00:15:55] could because that’s what I thought I had to do. Yeah, you get that, you know, you get that pushed on you a lot where [00:16:00] you need to work fast to earn a living. No one’s going to hire slow Dental, especially on [00:16:05] the NHS. And so I had this like playing in the back of my head, like, I need to get fast. I need to get faster. I’ve always [00:16:10] been a slow dancer’s, I’ve not been particularly quick and.

Payman Langroudi: I don’t even want to know. Exact [00:16:15] situation, but I want to know what about the complaint hurts the most? [00:16:20] So is it what what I think intent? [00:16:25]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, I think.

Payman Langroudi: They question your intent.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It was the [00:16:30] the complaint came down to. They were just like they felt [00:16:35] wronged. I guess like the outcome of the treatment wasn’t what they wanted. And they wanted some, [00:16:40] I guess, like payment for what happened. But the worst, the worst part of [00:16:45] the complaint wasn’t that because that got handled really easily. It was super easy. Like I spoke to indemnity and they sorted. It was great. But [00:16:50] the harder part was they didn’t complain to the practice they complained to [00:16:55] like the NHS straight. Yeah. So that opened a whole can of worms [00:17:00] that made things way more complicated.

Payman Langroudi: And yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So much more dramatic. Um, [00:17:05] and because there was the element of me trying to rush through treatment, then like note taking wasn’t [00:17:10] as good as it could have been. And so slowly sort of holes were picked in the process. [00:17:15] And that’s where it became this whole like way bigger beast that was not [00:17:20] easy to manage. So yeah, that was definitely the roughest period was, [00:17:25] you know, it was a couple of months it took for all to just like calm down. And you have [00:17:30] that like meeting and you go through everything that’s happened. You discuss what you’ve done to improve. You [00:17:35] know, you’ve spent loads of time on CPD watching the videos and stuff, writing reflections. And ultimately [00:17:40] they’re like, yeah, there’s no ill intent. Nothing’s been done. Nothing wrong has actually happened. [00:17:45] It’s just poor management. It’s fine.

Payman Langroudi: What was the emotion going through you like fear. [00:17:50] Oh, shame.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Shame fear, definitely. Because, you [00:17:55] know, you’re always thinking of like, am I going to lose my job? I’m going to lose my licence. Am I going to do I need to [00:18:00] think of something else to do? What on earth am I going to do as a, as a one year, one year in and [00:18:05] I can’t be a dentist anymore. What on earth do I do? Yeah. So. And you, you sort of you [00:18:10] make it so much bigger in your head and it gets bigger and bigger and becomes this whole big thing. And, um, [00:18:15] yeah, shame. Like you’re just dreading the outcome. You’ve no idea what [00:18:20] to expect that that was really tough. And I guess it, it makes you question [00:18:25] how good you are. Yeah. And whether you should actually be practising, [00:18:30] you know, you you really quickly think because I’m actually not a. Am I a good [00:18:35] dentist? You know, I’m actually bad at this.

Payman Langroudi: But also also we tied up with our identity so much because [00:18:40] you spent so much of your life doing this and dreaming about it. And since you were 14, you. [00:18:45]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Know, at that time I was a dentist, you know, like it made up who I was. So to question that [00:18:50] and think, am I actually am I good at it? Or should I even be doing it was yeah, that [00:18:55] was it was really tough.

Payman Langroudi: And what helped?

Ali Hashemizadeh: So the typical stuff, you know, like [00:19:00] family, friends you could speak to. But it made me really change [00:19:05] my perspective the way I like look at things. And I, I really had to take [00:19:10] a step back and think, okay, well, there’s nothing I can do in this situation. I can’t change what’s [00:19:15] happening. All I can do is work through what I’ve been told to do my indemnity, do the bits, [00:19:20] and hopefully it will be fine, but there is no point in me worrying, [00:19:25] you know, because I can’t change. All I’m going to do is not sleep. So [00:19:30] I may as well just take a step back and accept whatever happens, happens. Hope for the best, do what [00:19:35] I can and then just leave it.

Payman Langroudi: So what would you say? Like, I mean, [00:19:40] I know other young dentists, this exact same thing has happened to them and they quit. Quit dentistry. Mhm. [00:19:45] What would you say is like your trait that like manages to take a negative, [00:19:50] like take a lemon and turn it into lemonade and that positive outlook? [00:19:55]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, I think, I think it comes from like just years and years of spending time on like [00:20:00] self development, self help books, you know, podcasts, [00:20:05] books, all that kind of stuff is what I spent a lot of uni like totally engaged in. So [00:20:10] I think it was always in the back of my head that perspective change. It’s just I didn’t have anything to, [00:20:15] to switch it on to when this happened. Then I really saw a change in the way I saw everything. [00:20:20] So, you know, I assign less of my identity to dentistry now. You know, [00:20:25] I, I love it, but if something goes wrong on Tuesday [00:20:30] and I get home, it’s like it never happened. Like it stays at work because [00:20:35] it’s it’s work. It’s not me. I’m not that clinical decision or whatever happens, you know, but [00:20:40] that took a while. And I think that the experience I went through [00:20:45] so early on in my career was actually a really good thing. I’m quite [00:20:50] thankful it happened. I’m thankful it went well, but I’m thankful it happened because it changed the way [00:20:55] I see dentistry. It changed the way I, I do everything really, but it was [00:21:00] it was good because then it really was the first step in sort of igniting the [00:21:05] push to away from the health service and going in towards, towards private [00:21:10] dentistry, because then I realised that time constraints and all, [00:21:15] all of the stuff that comes with it just wasn’t going to work for me. So, so I’ve initiated that change. [00:21:20] So that was also a positive that came out of it, really.

Payman Langroudi: Of course.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You know.

Payman Langroudi: And to be [00:21:25] to be in private at your stage, it’s hard. It’s hard. Not not many [00:21:30] do it. Yeah, I did it, but not many. I took a pay cut and changed towns [00:21:35] and all of that. Um, but, but also, you know, like the learning [00:21:40] curve of private dentistry itself, right? It’s a whole other [00:21:45] way of working, you know, with positives and negatives.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. It’s huge. Like my [00:21:50] transition was less than a year after [00:21:55] PhD. And when I first moved to the practice, one of the practices I work in now, um, [00:22:00] I moved because I liked a lot. I really liked endo and they [00:22:05] were looking for someone who could do a lot of the root canal treatment at the practice. So I [00:22:10] arrived being the endo guy.

Payman Langroudi: This isn’t Ken Harris’s [00:22:15] practice.

Ali Hashemizadeh: This is my other practice, which is it’s it’s in Darlington in Middleton, Saint George. So it’s like a little town [00:22:20] outside of Darlington. So just south.

Payman Langroudi: Which was the name of the practice.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Middleton. Saint George Dental. Yeah. [00:22:25] Okay. Um, and, you know, I was I was lucky a friend of mine, Harry Craig, you know, [00:22:30] everyone seems to know him. Uh, he put in a good word with the boss, and he took a [00:22:35] punt on me, and it’s worked so far. It’s been great. And I loved being [00:22:40] given this sort of role of, okay, you’re you’re taking on the endodontic [00:22:45] burden of the practice. You’re the guy. So that learning curve was ginormous. [00:22:50] You know, it was it was huge because going from doing.

Payman Langroudi: Were you already [00:22:55] a little bit into endo or.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, already. Like it was a passion. I really enjoyed it. But I wasn’t doing [00:23:00] I was doing a lot of primary treatment, you know, on the NHS, occasional [00:23:05] private work, but I just understood it quite well, I think. And then [00:23:10] with a portfolio I showed him, my now principal was like, well, yeah, I think this [00:23:15] will work. And I was really lucky. You know, he’s given me such a such a big [00:23:20] area to, to grow into. You know, there wasn’t strict like everything [00:23:25] needs to be perfect. You need to bring all this material. There was nothing like that. It was like, what material [00:23:30] do you need? I’ll get it in for you. What what instruments do you need? I’ll get it in for you. Um, here [00:23:35] are patients for you to work on, you know, crack on. And, well, that that process has been [00:23:40] like my ability, my experience has skyrocketed just [00:23:45] because someone took, I guess took a punt on me. So it’s worked, you know, and I’ve been doing [00:23:50] treatments I would never have thought. I mean, we’ve done a few apicectomy together. And if you were [00:23:55] to have asked me during PhD if I would have done anything like that within two years [00:24:00] or something, there’d be no chance I would have thought that.

Payman Langroudi: But I think it’s amazing. I think it’s [00:24:05] amazing for one thing. And there’s a brilliant, brilliant thing. You don’t have to sell anything to anyone. [00:24:10] No. Um, it can be very calm work if you know what you’re doing. [00:24:15]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Yeah, definitely.

Payman Langroudi: Um, on the other hand, if you’re doing [00:24:20] things like apicectomy and you’re happy with flaps.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Mhm.

Payman Langroudi: It’s [00:24:25] kind of flaps are kind of the thing that keeps a lot of dentists away from implants. Yeah. Yeah. And so [00:24:30] at your stage, you might want to consider, I’d say those two things. If you are happy with things like [00:24:35] if you like blood.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I’m still I’m still learning that part. I’m still getting used to surgery. [00:24:40]

Payman Langroudi: You’re nowhere. You’re nowhere. Yeah. You’re very, very, very young. You’ve done a lot considering how [00:24:45] young you are. Um, I mean, it depends. I would say, like, if [00:24:50] it was myself. I don’t like blood. Yeah. Yeah. So I would jump deep into [00:24:55] endo. Deep, deep, deep, deep as deep as possible.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: For sure. Even even to the point of getting another qualification. [00:25:00] It’s there’s not enough endodontists in the country. Yeah. And they do well. [00:25:05] And it’s a lovely job. It’s a lovely, lovely job. It depends though doesn’t it. Depends. [00:25:10] How are you thinking about it?

Ali Hashemizadeh: This this is.

Payman Langroudi: Like if you did endo all day, every day, would you be happy. Dentist? [00:25:15]

Ali Hashemizadeh: I think so, I think. Yeah, I think so. I mean, it’s quite nice to have a mix throughout [00:25:20] the day. You know, back to back to back. And it can be draining. You know once [00:25:25] you get the rubber dam on everything’s quite calm. But there’s still.

Payman Langroudi: But then there’s, there’s, there’s. [00:25:30]

Ali Hashemizadeh: There’s so much problem solving going on constantly in your head. Um, and [00:25:35] as soon as something starts going a bit off course, it’s like, okay, how on earth, how on earth do I get this back? [00:25:40] Um, but yeah, there’s always like a tug of war in your head, especially as a young dentist when you’ve got a particular [00:25:45] interest is, do I go all in now and just hit [00:25:50] the ground running, or do I keep my options really broad and open and just see where I [00:25:55] end up? And it’s so it’s so hard. I don’t think I’ll ever come to a decision without [00:26:00] being like, forced into it because the idea of being a really good general dentist is [00:26:05] great. You know, if you were to buy a practice, you’re that reliable principal. You can do a bit of everything. Um, [00:26:10] but at the same time, if you know you’re good at something and you know you like it. Why not just go [00:26:15] head first and just do? In my case, do loads and loads of it and just just do [00:26:20] endo. I don’t know, it’s a really tough decision. I can’t make up my mind at [00:26:25] all.

Payman Langroudi: It doesn’t.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s so hard.

Payman Langroudi: I think in these situations often it makes sense just to make [00:26:30] up your mind.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Not even not even think about it. Just make up your mind and jump in and go. Um, [00:26:35] on the other hand, you know, you’re young enough to, you could do nothing for [00:26:40] five years.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Nothing. Sit on your hands. Yeah. And at the end of all of that, you’ll [00:26:45] be 32. Mhm.

Ali Hashemizadeh: And still time.

Payman Langroudi: You could do whatever you want. You [00:26:50] know what I mean? Yeah. The big the big disease of the 20s is impatience. Mhm. It [00:26:55] really is. I remember I was impatient, you know, it started enlightened because of it. [00:27:00] Yeah. Yeah. Um, but don’t worry about the wrong decision. Yeah. [00:27:05] You can just reverse the decision if you have to. It’s I remember when I was like giving up dentistry finally, [00:27:10] you know, I’d gone five days a week, four days a week, three days a week, two days. One [00:27:15] day, one day for about five years. And then I just didn’t [00:27:20] want it to stop, and I couldn’t. I couldn’t get myself to stop. I kind of needed permission [00:27:25] to stop.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Well, it’s because you worked so hard to get to [00:27:30] that point.

Payman Langroudi: But then Prav told me, you know, Prav Prav told me, listen, stop. If you want to go back, [00:27:35] go back. I was like, oh, wow. Yeah, yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You don’t think [00:27:40] the door closes? But it can just, you know.

Payman Langroudi: Because, you know, you take a two week holiday, you come back a bit rusty.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. [00:27:45]

Payman Langroudi: I took a five year holiday.

Ali Hashemizadeh: That definitely felt rusty that first.

Payman Langroudi: Id [00:27:50] block. That first ID block when I came back [00:27:55] was tough. Really nervous. Patient. Yeah. And because I was taking care of [00:28:00] my wife’s patients. Yeah. She’s really into nervous patients. Yeah. Right. And he goes, the only reason [00:28:05] I’m coming in is because you’re her her husband. And she would have told me. Told you all about [00:28:10] me. And I was like, actually, you know, so [00:28:15] so he could hardly walk in the room. And it was my first one for five years. Yeah. [00:28:20] It was a moment. Nerve wracking. I came home with back ache that day. The first time you [00:28:25] forget about those things. Yeah. So you qualified in Newcastle, but you grew up in [00:28:30] Aberdeen. Mhm. How did an Iranian kid end up in Aberdeen? Is your dad in oil? [00:28:35]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Dad’s in oil. Yeah, dad’s an oil. So dad, um, moved [00:28:40] here when he was quite young then, like, did his university degree. [00:28:45] Um, did his PhD.

Payman Langroudi: Chemical engineer.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Mechanical engineer.

Payman Langroudi: A mechanical.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Engineer. Yeah. And then [00:28:50] moved around a little bit and then ultimately found a job in Aberdeen and settled there. So then I was [00:28:55] born a year later and then they’ve stayed there since. It’s a great place. [00:29:00] It’s honestly amazing.

Payman Langroudi: I’ve been there.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I’ve been there. Yeah, it’s just a bit grey. That’s grey [00:29:05] and cold is the main complaint. But but yeah, no, I mean, I don’t think I’d move back [00:29:10] to be honest, but it’s, uh, it’s interesting. There’s a huge Iranian community there, massive [00:29:15] because of oil and gas. So, you know.

Payman Langroudi: Is that the.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Reason? Yeah, yeah. So like my parents have got, [00:29:20] I think my parents probably have a busier social life than I do. You know, they’re always out, always doing stuff [00:29:25] with.

Payman Langroudi: Their group of buddies.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, or when I was younger, you know, we’d go to [00:29:30] like dinner parties and stuff and you’re talking like 60, 70 people are all crammed into a house and [00:29:35] it’s just packed full of Iranians just having a great time. So it was a lovely environment to grow [00:29:40] up in because.

Payman Langroudi: People don’t realise. People don’t generally realise that Aberdeen is the oil and gas capital [00:29:45] of the UK, but it is 100%.

Ali Hashemizadeh: For me it was all I was raised around. Like [00:29:50] all, most of my friends are in oil and gas. I wanted to be an engineer to begin with, you know, I didn’t want to be a dentist. [00:29:55] I didn’t want to do healthcare. But, um, I guess here we are. Here we are not [00:30:00] an engineer.

Payman Langroudi: I kind of do hear your Scottish twinge there. Now, at the beginning I said, I [00:30:05] can’t hear it, but now I can kind of hear.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Some people pick it up really quickly. Some patients pick it up like straight away and [00:30:10] some and some don’t. Some think I’m like, from here from London. Um, so it’s just [00:30:15] yeah, it’s just depends.

Payman Langroudi: I went to Aberdeen about ten years ago and I saw the, the [00:30:20] one thing that had changed at that point in the UK was you could get great coffee, great Thai [00:30:25] food, great stuff everywhere. Before that, like maybe 20 years ago, if you [00:30:30] went to Aberdeen to try and find a great coffee, there wasn’t even in London. There wasn’t much. There was no [00:30:35] yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. But that’s something that’s moved on in the UK now. You can get [00:30:40] great everything everywhere now, which is really.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Everything at your fingertips.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah. Which means you can live anywhere. [00:30:45] Really?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: So then why Newcastle?

Ali Hashemizadeh: So [00:30:50] I guess the journey to Newcastle is quite.

Payman Langroudi: Well. What kind of kid were you? What kind of kid were you?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um [00:30:55] to begin with. Quite, you know, like your general boy, you know, just [00:31:00] like messing around and things. But not long into school, I kind of realise [00:31:05] that, you know, hard work pays off. And I think I saw that a lot in my parents and my sister [00:31:10] primarily. She was studying pharmacy at the time, and I would see [00:31:15] her like revise all day. She’d sit at the desk for hours and hours and hours, [00:31:20] and then I’d go sit there for like an hour and think, that’s probably enough. And I’d look at [00:31:25] her and think, okay, maybe I should do some more. And quite young, that whole idea of hard [00:31:30] work, you know, it’s like typical immigrant story, right? You know, hard work pays off eventually. Um, [00:31:35] so yeah, really quickly then develop that, that sort of mindset of just like, okay, I need to work hard. [00:31:40] I need to work hard. And definitely came from my parents a lot. You know, a lot of pressure [00:31:45] is not quite the right word, but a lot of encouragement to work hard and achieve something [00:31:50] that you can proud of at the end. Um, so that’s where I wanted to be an engineer to begin with. [00:31:55] And my parents were like, well, you’re, you know, you’re terrible at maths, so maybe, maybe don’t [00:32:00] do this. Do something else. And it came.

Payman Langroudi: Surprising how much math there is in engineering math? I didn’t realise just [00:32:05] too much. My son’s an engineering right now. My God, there’s loads of homework as well. Man, it’s a difficult [00:32:10] degree.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I’m so happy I didn’t do it. I’m so happy I listened to their advice.

Payman Langroudi: But my dentistry. [00:32:15]

Ali Hashemizadeh: It was it was a toss up between medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. Um, medicine [00:32:20] and did some work experience at a hospital and I hated it. I really didn’t like it. So left the [00:32:25] other two. Um, I was working in a pharmacy since I was about 15 or 16 because my sister did. So [00:32:30] I just kind of followed in her footsteps and did some work experience in a dental practice. [00:32:35] I was like, yeah, I was pretty sold. It was quite fun. And then applied. [00:32:40] Didn’t get in the first time. So I applied to a Scottish unis didn’t get in. And I [00:32:45] think at that point I was like, okay, well, the universe has decided for me, I’m not going to be a dentist. I got [00:32:50] into pharmacy. I’ll just be a pharmacist. This is great. Like, I’m very happy with this and started studying, really [00:32:55] enjoyed it, made really good friends. And my mum was like, let’s reapply. Just [00:33:00] apply one more time and see. And I was really against it. I was dead set on I [00:33:05] think it was the idea of being, uh, the idea of failing again, I was yeah, the [00:33:10] idea of rejection.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I really didn’t want to experience it again. So I was like, okay, no, um, I’m not going to apply again. [00:33:15] And she drove with my dad from Aberdeen to Glasgow, picked me up and drove me to Inverness [00:33:20] in the same day to sit my UK cat again whilst I was at university. [00:33:25] But the only place I could apply without leaving pharmacy was Newcastle. [00:33:30] So I applied to Newcastle um and didn’t get in again. So [00:33:35] after that I was, I was like I’m done. No more of this. Like that is the end. I’m not going to be a dentist. [00:33:40] And then I got a phone call in summer. Uh, I was just at home for a summer break and pick [00:33:45] it up. It was Newcastle Dental School. Like, we’ve got space for you through clearing. Do you want [00:33:50] to take it? And I was like, wow, like earth shattering. You know, it was like the best feeling ever. So [00:33:55] I was like, yeah, absolutely. Like I ran through to my mom’s room. I was like, mum.

Payman Langroudi: Those Iranian mums, [00:34:00] man. They’re tough.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Like I went through and I was like, mum, I got.

Payman Langroudi: She was right there.

Ali Hashemizadeh: She was always [00:34:05] right. And she like, burst into tears. Yeah, they’re always right. I’ll never tell her. I’ll never [00:34:10] tell her she’s always right. But they seem to be right all the time. So yeah, it was [00:34:15] a it was a long process getting into dentistry. Um, but it’s difficult. Like when you start, when [00:34:20] you start it with that, like fear of rejection because you’ve been rejected a few times, [00:34:25] then you go into university.

Payman Langroudi: It’s such a, so hard to get in. So getting my daughters [00:34:30] going for it now, which is 16. But you know, the idea that what if she doesn’t get in, what happens [00:34:35] next? You know that.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So you put all your eggs in one basket as well, you know, and then you don’t really know where you [00:34:40] go from there. Yeah. So.

Payman Langroudi: So tell me about Newcastle. Did you know Newcastle? [00:34:45]

Ali Hashemizadeh: No, I did not want to go to Newcastle. Oh really? No no no. When I came from interview, I [00:34:50] was in like a rotten mood. I was like, this is the worst place ever. I’m not coming here. And then [00:34:55] when I got, when I got in, I was like, I can’t wait.

Payman Langroudi: It’s a cool town, man.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s honestly [00:35:00] the best city ever. It’s great. It’s got everything you need. It’s brilliant.

Payman Langroudi: Good people, good people. I like [00:35:05] the people.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Everyone’s just so lovely, you know? The patients are lovely. People are lovely.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s [00:35:10] a total. It’s a totally different working environment to what I experienced here. And just in general, [00:35:15] the people are just so different. It’s a great city.

Payman Langroudi: So which student were you.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Uh, to [00:35:20] begin with? Really? I worked really hard because [00:35:25] it was.

Payman Langroudi: What.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Happened? Yeah. Because I was like, I can’t fail. And now I’ve made it like, I just [00:35:30] need to get through. And then the first exam we saw, it was, um, I think it was like a, it was, it didn’t [00:35:35] really mean anything. It was like a, just a, you know, the first test, just to see how you get on. And I didn’t pass [00:35:40] and I was like, oh, like here, here we go. Like, this is, this is the beginning of the end. This [00:35:45] is really bad. Yeah. Um, but after a while, I learned, I really learned the way I [00:35:50] revise, like the way I learn. And once I picked that up, so once [00:35:55] I picked that up, then I didn’t really mind. Like then the whole the environment of [00:36:00] the environment of university changed and it became a lot more relaxed, less [00:36:05] worried about revising all the time and really embrace like the social aspect. So like [00:36:10] the first like six months was really intense.

Payman Langroudi: And that that self-awareness [00:36:15] piece. Yeah. It’s so interesting because it’s quite hard to teach [00:36:20] it. But I think you develop self-awareness as you go. [00:36:25] And like, for instance, I’m a bit of a like a procrastinator type. So knowing [00:36:30] that you are means you can have like a tactic. [00:36:35]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: For like for the first 38 [00:36:40] years of my life, I wasn’t aware of it properly. But now I’ve got a tactic, [00:36:45] you know, if like, if something’s happening in 60 days time, I pretend it’s actually 30 days time. Yeah. And it’s [00:36:50] like you.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Only learn that through experience, right? So So once I picked that up, then [00:36:55] I knew, okay, this is how I revise. This is the time frame. I need to revise it. And then I didn’t really [00:37:00] need.

Payman Langroudi: To worry as in general. I mean, were you a party animal guy at one point or did you not do that? Did you do sports? [00:37:05]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Like did you pick it up quite quickly? Dentistry, the clinical side.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um, [00:37:10] I don’t think I was like particularly like talented clinically. Um, I’d [00:37:15] say I was pretty like bang average when it came to clinical itself. Um, socially, I [00:37:20] think we spent a lot of time going like the dental hospital and the dental, the dental [00:37:25] school and Newcastle had a really good social aspect. You know, a dental SoC was incredible. [00:37:30] It’s like, it’s definitely the best dent SoC in the UK. Not a non-biased opinion, [00:37:35] but so, you know, you’d be going out all the time with people in every year. So you’d socialise [00:37:40] amongst years a lot. And because the cohort is quite small, it’s like 70 odd people per year. [00:37:45] You really became friends with, you know, if you’re in first year, you had friends in fifth year and you [00:37:50] get really close across across years, which is so good. But I think naturally when you’re in [00:37:55] Newcastle you end up going out a little bit more than other places because it’s just the type of city it [00:38:00] is.

Payman Langroudi: But do you think.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. It’s like it’s a.

Payman Langroudi: Fun.

Ali Hashemizadeh: City. It’s well known for it.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:38:05] But so is Manchester. So it’s Liverpool. So there’s so many places. Yeah. [00:38:10] Um okay. So then your first [00:38:15] job you decided to come to London?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. It was like it’s always been a dream to work in London since [00:38:20] I.

Payman Langroudi: Was that the idea?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Bright lights, big city.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Since I was a kid, I was. I’ve always been obsessed [00:38:25] with working and living in London. My sister moved out not long before I did. So [00:38:30] she loved it. I was like, well, I’m gonna love it too. Did my foundation year here, [00:38:35] which was good. You know, I got a lot of experience. Funnily enough, my s at the time was big [00:38:40] into Indo, so hence I really enjoy it now too.

Payman Langroudi: Um, so is S the [00:38:45] direct boss or is that the boss of the boss?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Your direct.

Payman Langroudi: Boss?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Boss? Yeah. Like your trainer.

Payman Langroudi: Your trainer?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah. [00:38:50] So my trainer was really big into Endo. So then I ended up doing what’s.

Payman Langroudi: The new name for the the TPD. [00:38:55] Tpd.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Tpd. Tpd yeah. What was it before?

Payman Langroudi: I [00:39:00] can’t even remember. I can’t even remember. Tpd so S is the guy [00:39:05] in the practice.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Yes.

Payman Langroudi: He’s the guy in the practice. Yeah. Sorry I keep forgetting.

Ali Hashemizadeh: And then like the [00:39:10] other one like.

Payman Langroudi: The higher up.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah yeah. Okay. Cool. Um and, uh.

Payman Langroudi: Did you find [00:39:15] it difficult? You said you did. You didn’t like the job? The mixed job. Yeah, yeah. I found it really hard going from [00:39:20] 50 to 50 plus one.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah, it’s it’s like a whole different step because [00:39:25] the when you’re an PhD, you’ve got all the time in the world to do whatever you want. There’s no rule the rule. But [00:39:30] like, you know, you’re, you’re kind of like a baby. And then you go to mixed practice or your feet plus one and [00:39:35] you’re sort of on your own. Yeah, there’s a lot more. I actually really enjoyed the practice. The people in the [00:39:40] practice are great. My principal there is like one of the best principal I’ve ever had. He [00:39:45] was so supportive.

Payman Langroudi: Um, shut him out.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Uh, Rishi Nagaria. It’s such [00:39:50] a great guy. Um, but the, I [00:39:55] guess what I was doing clinically just wasn’t fulfilling. You know, I just didn’t enjoy that part of it that much. [00:40:00] So I really had to like figure out a plan to get from where I, from [00:40:05] where I was to where I wanted to be so.

Payman Langroudi: And so outside of the job, did you find [00:40:10] living in London not as fun as you expected it to be?

Ali Hashemizadeh: No, I think it was totally [00:40:15] different to what I expected. Um, I think also it didn’t help, you know, you’re [00:40:20] you you come there and your salary is not particularly big and it’s an expensive city to [00:40:25] live in. So in your head you sort of expected to be, you know, you come here on the weekend and you do everything. [00:40:30] You see everything you do as much as you can. But when you live here, it’s a totally different city. [00:40:35] Um, and I think I, what I didn’t like was being so far away from like the [00:40:40] outdoors, you know, like wildlife and stuff. So Newcastle is great. You’ve got country parks all over. [00:40:45] You’re close to Scotland. It’s like the perfect balance for me. Um, so London, [00:40:50] although I’m here like all the time, it just wasn’t the place for me.

Payman Langroudi: What do you do in the outdoors?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Cycle ending cycle [00:40:55] run cycling, run camp, hike. Like anything.

Payman Langroudi: Anything outside you’re doing [00:41:00] that common? Yeah, commonly.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Yeah. Like me and a group of our friends are doing a Ironman [00:41:05] 70.3 in a couple of months and, um. Oh, wow. But like that, [00:41:10] I don’t think I would have ever signed up for something like that if I lived here.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Because there, I can [00:41:15] just, I don’t know, it’s just access to the outdoors is so [00:41:20] easy, so convenient. It’s so nice.

Payman Langroudi: So I used to, I used to be in Cardiff for [00:41:25] uni and there was a, there’s a, there’s a thing about a town that [00:41:30] size, I think Cardiff and Newcastle probably Newcastle’s a little bit bigger, I don’t know. But. But a [00:41:35] town that kind of size is, it’s large enough right, that massive things can [00:41:40] happen. You know massive band will come. Yeah. Whatever. Coldplay playing [00:41:45] Cardiff, but it’s also small enough that you bump into people [00:41:50] all the time in the street, and even people you don’t like. You don’t know them, [00:41:55] but you keep seeing them again and again. Yeah, people like that. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I think it’s so easy. I think London [00:42:00] can be quite an isolating city. Yeah. You know, it can be quite lonely and it’s quite hard to, like, break into a group [00:42:05] of friends here if you don’t know anyone. Yeah. Whereas places like Newcastle, Cardiff was about, I think it’d be really. It’s [00:42:10] really easy to go if you don’t know anyone there to break in and find find like [00:42:15] your place, find your people there. It’s so much easier.

Payman Langroudi: But bearing in mind you did have five years to get to know everyone. [00:42:20]

Ali Hashemizadeh: You know, it made it so much. They made that transition way easier. You know, the move back was convenient because [00:42:25] also loads of friends stayed after uni, so I didn’t need to do that. Um, so I didn’t have that [00:42:30] whole that period of like, I don’t know anyone here, but I’m pretty sure I’m pretty certain [00:42:35] that the transition there would be easier than it would be in London.

Payman Langroudi: Interesting. I could have lived [00:42:40] in Cardiff, I could have, yeah. And when you think about the kind of towns that you could live [00:42:45] in. Yeah. Not many like I mean, I guess because we know these towns. Yeah. But like, when [00:42:50] you think about it, what comes to mind? Like if, let’s say if I said move. Mhm. Where would you move [00:42:55] to?

Ali Hashemizadeh: I think somewhere like Edinburgh, I wouldn’t mind [00:43:00] living in Edinburgh. Manchester, I don’t know too well, but strikes me as somewhere I would like to live. [00:43:05] So, you know, Manchester is so close to the lakes. So you’ve got the convenience of proximity [00:43:10] to lakes. Close enough closer, I guess, than I am now. Edinburgh [00:43:15] is the same as close to the Highlands, so places like that I would, I would like um living [00:43:20] in Glasgow. Glasgow is an amazing city, I loved it. It’s, it’s like a.

Payman Langroudi: People are amazing Glasgow.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. [00:43:25] You know Glasgow is really similar to Newcastle in my head.

Payman Langroudi: Did you study in Glasgow for pharmacy?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, I did [00:43:30] a year there. Yeah. Yeah. So I’m still friends with loads of internationally.

Payman Langroudi: Like have you been to Canada? [00:43:35]

Ali Hashemizadeh: I’ve not been to Canada. No, no no, I’ve always wanted to though. I’ve got a cousin who lives out there and it [00:43:40] looks.

Payman Langroudi: I live in.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Canada. Amazing.

Payman Langroudi: I live in Canada. You would. It’s like. It’s like America with, like, cooler [00:43:45] people. Kind of cuter people. Yeah. Um, South Africa, [00:43:50] everyone bangs on about crime and all that, but I didn’t notice anything, but. But I love that country, man. [00:43:55]

Ali Hashemizadeh: I’m going to this year. So I’ve never been. Yeah. I’ve never been.

Payman Langroudi: Before.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I’m [00:44:00] looking forward to. I’ve not been to Australia. That’s that’s like Australia is like the the place that all UK [00:44:05] dentists move to. If they’re moving, they’re moving there.

[BOTH]: It’s just such lovely. It’s so far away.

Payman Langroudi: I’ve not [00:44:10] been I’ve not been. So maybe if you go. But you know, like these sort of English speaking countries. [00:44:15]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: I guess if you spoke another language, maybe if [00:44:20] you spoke French, maybe you. Guadeloupe.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Where [00:44:25] else would you would you would you move to like the Middle East?

Payman Langroudi: My, my [00:44:30] business partner just moved to Dubai. Um, and he was [00:44:35] enjoying it before the war. Mhm. He was enjoying it. Um, I live [00:44:40] in Dubai. If just war to one side. I live in Dubai. If it was on a limited [00:44:45] time basis. I kind of don’t want to die in Dubai. Yeah. Okay. [00:44:50]

Ali Hashemizadeh: I see that. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: But I would. I mean, Iranians love to hate on Dubai [00:44:55] somehow, man. And I don’t share that. I mean, I think I think it’s a great place.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. We’ve got loads of family [00:45:00] in Dubai and they love it. I, I think a lot of people in the UK also hate Dubai [00:45:05] as, as, as a place. But I would live there short term as well. Like I wouldn’t live there long term, [00:45:10] but I could definitely see like, yeah, I could see myself there at some point. But [00:45:15] if I wasn’t doing dentistry, I think working as a dentist, a whole different kettle of fish.

Payman Langroudi: How [00:45:20] would you classify yourself? Like, I don’t mean I don’t mean sort of externally. You [00:45:25] could call yourself a British Iranian or whatever, but is there like, do you think of yourself [00:45:30] as Scottish?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, I do like my, I guess [00:45:35] my, my identity is very Scottish, Iranian.

Payman Langroudi: Scottish, Iranian Scottish Gas thing. Yeah, because. [00:45:40]

Ali Hashemizadeh: That’s all I’ve been raised around. You know, my friends from home have always been [00:45:45] Scottish, you know, especially in Aberdeen. There’s not that diverse of a place. [00:45:50] So I’ve only been exposed to Scottish and Iranian at home. Um [00:45:55] yeah definitely Scottish, Iranian you know know know.

Payman Langroudi: A bit of a Geordie. [00:46:00]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Know Geordie.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Scottish with a sprinkle of Geordie. Now it’s probably the best way to put it. [00:46:05]

Payman Langroudi: So on this pod we like to talk about mistakes. Is [00:46:10] yours going to be that one or do you have another mistake. We can talk about clinical error. Have you got an Indo mistake? [00:46:15] That’d be nice.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um, yeah. I mean, there’s been plenty of times where [00:46:20] I’ve struggled and I’ve had to refer on or we’ve just accepted that it’s, [00:46:25] you know, stopped there and accepted where we are.

Payman Langroudi: But have you got [00:46:30] better at being able to predict.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, way better.

Payman Langroudi: Give me some like top tips. How?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Well [00:46:35] the biggest change I found has been, um, cbct has [00:46:40] been the, the biggest change because there’s so many times you look at a case and you have, you don’t know if there’s [00:46:45] going to be an MM2 there potentially. You don’t know if it’s curved. You don’t know.

Payman Langroudi: Can you always see it on CBC?

Ali Hashemizadeh: You can’t [00:46:50] always see it, but there’s enough signs. There’s enough signs to indicate there is an MM2 or there probably will [00:46:55] be one. But yeah, a lot of times you can see if it’s there or not.

Payman Langroudi: So that’s what, what else apart [00:47:00] from the MM2, what else does it show you that the overall anatomy. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So the anatomy curvatures does [00:47:05] it have something like a C shape molar like a lower seven often has like a C shape. [00:47:10] So it’s like a broad um pulp chamber. So something like that. You need to approach [00:47:15] it with a different set. Yeah. You know, you need to look at a different way of operating it. Um, [00:47:20] but if you didn’t know that until you’ve opened it up, then you’re like, okay, now I need to go and get that material. What if [00:47:25] I don’t have that material? Or, um, so that’s been the biggest game changer because you go into [00:47:30] the case with a lot of predictability and you know what to expect, You know, if it’s got [00:47:35] like a really like a really strong curve, let’s say on the canal, you [00:47:40] can, you know, where that starts, you can measure it. So you can approach the [00:47:45] case appropriately. Whereas before you kind of just aimlessly put your files in and hope for the best. And that’s [00:47:50] when you get mistakes. That’s when you get ledges and perforations and stuff. But the other, the [00:47:55] other biggest tip I got was from a mentor and he told me to use like [00:48:00] safe ended files. So files that don’t cut on the tip.

Payman Langroudi: Oh.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So when [00:48:05] you’re scouting to get to the apex, it’s like totally game changing because it’s only going to follow [00:48:10] the anatomy of the canal. Sure, you need to do a bit of cutting and shaping to allow that to [00:48:15] happen, but whereas before you’re going straight in with a K file and you risk ledging [00:48:20] once you’ve ledged, it’s so hard to bypass it, you can avoid that whole [00:48:25] headache of just using the appropriate files. But I guess all these types, all these [00:48:30] things you only learn from mistakes, you know, I’ve alleged so many canals, [00:48:35] and that’s when I was like, there must be a better way. Other than maybe [00:48:40] I’m just bad at this, but there must be a way of not doing this. And that’s when I got to. Okay, these [00:48:45] are the files you need to try out, and it’s made my life so much easier.

Payman Langroudi: Did you render [00:48:50] as well?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Some. Not loads. I’ve just not come across that many. Um, [00:48:55] most of the cases I get sent have been primary, which makes my life easier, you know? [00:49:00]

Payman Langroudi: Um, maybe they’re not sending you render.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s just there aren’t any, like in the practice of our [00:49:05] practice, there’s not many renders that need treatment. Um, a lot [00:49:10] of times we find the ones that do come up. It’s a, it’s a conversation to have with a patient, [00:49:15] you know, do you want to give it another go? Potentially it’s failed because the ender was poor [00:49:20] or potentially it’s failed because there’s a crack or something else going on. Or do you want to go for extraction [00:49:25] and implant? The practice I work in, where I do most of the Ender work is and [00:49:30] they do loads of implant work as well. So the decision [00:49:35] to go to implant is quite easy. I guess because the implant surgeons we’ve [00:49:40] got are amazing at what they do. We’ve got an older population, [00:49:45] so they’re less inclined to worry about, you know, they’re in their 70s, so they’re less inclined to worry [00:49:50] about trying to save that retreat, retreat and end a retreat, a molar rather [00:49:55] just take it out and put an implant in because it’s, you know, it’s going to last long enough, I guess. So [00:50:00] not that many, but, um, I think that’s just circumstantial really.

Payman Langroudi: You’re [00:50:05] really brilliantly positioned, man. It’s because you’ve got endo, you’ve got implants, [00:50:10] you’ve got Ken Harris, uh, Richard Coates. Yeah. The full mouth rehab [00:50:15] kind of. Yeah. Maybe you should push all of them forward slightly at a time. And maybe you [00:50:20] become this, like, super dentist, you know, you come across them.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So this is this is what I was [00:50:25] saying earlier, you know, do you go all in on something you’re interested in or do you stay [00:50:30] a little bit more, you know, take a step back and try and cover every topic to a pretty high standard, [00:50:35] but maybe not to a specialist level. Um, and I think that’s more the [00:50:40] direction I think I want to go down.

Payman Langroudi: I knew I knew a guy who was double specialised. Okay. [00:50:45] You can, you can specialise in implants in, uh, Germany where he was. [00:50:50] So he double specialised implants and endo.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: It’s an interesting.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s an interesting [00:50:55] combination, isn’t it? Because you’re sort of fighting yourself on both sides. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: You’re like almost. You’ve got both angles, [00:51:00] like saving that tooth or not. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: But I guess the benefit of that is you can then let the [00:51:05] patient make the make the decision. Then you can do both whichever one they go down.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:51:10] Although one, the one thing I would caution you against in that respect is, you know, [00:51:15] you know, that sort of. Here are three treatment plans. Mhm. Now you decide.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Yeah. [00:51:20]

Payman Langroudi: That’s right. But it’s incorrect. Yeah. Insomuch as that’s, [00:51:25] I’d say the difference between a good dentist and a great dentist. It’s a great dentist, says, [00:51:30] I think option two is the correct one for you. Yeah, yeah, that’s what you want from your dentist. Yeah. Of course [00:51:35] it’s his decision. Mhm. Yeah. But your recommendation, I just think, [00:51:40] is so key. Mhm. It’s so, so, so key and, and I, I don’t know why you [00:51:45] think as a, I used to even think that I used to think. Yeah. Patients choice with full [00:51:50] consent. Yeah. And it is theoretically.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. List of treatment plans [00:51:55] like ten different options. Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Have you done much, uh, training on sort of that side of [00:52:00] dentistry, the treatment planning. No, the soft side, you know, communication, [00:52:05] ethical selling that those things.

Ali Hashemizadeh: No, none of them really resonated with me. You [00:52:10] know, I’ve considered them. You see them all the time. But I found for me the the way [00:52:15] I’m positioned in both my practices, I don’t really need to speak about money at all with patients because we’ve got [00:52:20] treatment coordinators. So that’s good. I don’t the conversation of like how much it’s going [00:52:25] to cost, how cost. How are you going to fund? It never comes up in surgery. It’s always then given to [00:52:30] treatment coordinator and they’ll go through all that and they’re way better at the conversation than I am.

Payman Langroudi: So [00:52:35] that’s interesting. So so that’s why you’re kind of saying it’s up to them. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So my, my decision [00:52:40] is solely clinical based. You know, I’ll give my opinion, but I’ll say, [00:52:45] you know, clinically this is what I can see. These are what we could do. This is probably my recommendation, [00:52:50] but go have a chat with the treatment coordinator. She’ll go through the fees, she’ll go through the timescales, she’ll [00:52:55] go through the appointment breakdown and just see what suits you best. You know, if if you can’t commit [00:53:00] to a full mouth rehab because you’re busy with work or you’re travelling or whatever, then it’s [00:53:05] not an option. There’s no point me spending an extra 40 minutes, half an hour going through all of that. [00:53:10] It’s just a waste of time. Same way should, you know, treatment can go through all of the different financing [00:53:15] options that I don’t need to worry about. And I think that it’s quite nice to separate the two, because then [00:53:20] the patient’s less inclined to think you’re trying to upsell Yeah. Work you’re trying [00:53:25] to you know, all dentists have that bad reputation, I guess, but it’s quite nice to [00:53:30] keep it solely clinical. You know, this is what I see. This is what we should do. Go have a word with someone else and [00:53:35] figure out what you’d like to do. And if you’ve got any questions, you can come back to me. But I’m not the one who’s going to be making.

Payman Langroudi: Both [00:53:40] your practices like that.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it’s a good fortunate [00:53:45] balance. You know, it’s quite nice that way. So I don’t I don’t really have that worry [00:53:50] I guess because it’s a difficult.

Payman Langroudi: No, it’s a brilliant it’s brilliant. If they can if people are trained [00:53:55] properly.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: It’s a brilliant.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Thing because the with like ethical selling [00:54:00] and the conversation stuff, I think as long as you are, as [00:54:05] long as you can communicate with your patients appropriately, you know, there’s no need to try [00:54:10] and upsell a lot. A lot of it comes down to when you’re speaking to them. Once they feel [00:54:15] they can trust you, then they take your word for a lot of the recommendations you have. Then it’s [00:54:20] easier to just say, you know, have you ever considered whitening your teeth? And then they’d be like, oh yeah, actually I have. But if [00:54:25] it’s really pushy, then it comes across really terribly as well.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. Although [00:54:30] I think the point of it is, is not, not, not to come across really pushy. And [00:54:35] by the way, if you’re, if you’re treatment coordinators are converting a lot of those treatment [00:54:40] plans, they’re doing the ethical selling part.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Themselves outside of the the clinic. [00:54:45]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. Although there are there are good tips in these cases. Yeah. You know, I, I remember [00:54:50] someone selling to me like the way that the ethical selling then the [00:54:55] dental trainers tell. And it’s a basic it’s basically he was trying to sell me a mortgage [00:55:00] or something and he said, look, what are the things that are important to you about the mortgage, A, B or C? [00:55:05] Yeah. I said oh C, and he said, okay, so question, [00:55:10] question, question, question based on the fact that you said C is [00:55:15] important to you. They’re based on the fact that you said A is important to you on this subject. I’ve [00:55:20] I’ve looked at these three solutions for you. And if [00:55:25] you do these three solutions and they repeat back to me the things that I said were important to me. So [00:55:30] it’s a simple trick of the mind. Yeah. This patient. What’s [00:55:35] important to you on my wedding photos? Yeah. At the beginning. Then at the end. Well, if we do this, this, this. [00:55:40] I think you’re going to be amazing on your wedding day. Yeah. Whatever it is. Whatever. I want to bite into [00:55:45] steak. Oh, well, you know, this is with this approach, then you’ll be able to buy steak again. [00:55:50] Yeah. And it’s just there’s some, some sort of like I’ve been heard. Yeah. Feeling.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Well [00:55:55] I think one of the I use that a lot when it comes to endo like root canal [00:56:00] consults a lot of the time because because the population is a little bit older. Yeah. I always, I [00:56:05] always ask that is saving the tooth your number one priority or is it just convenience [00:56:10] being out of pain? Is it you don’t want something to worry about long term?

Payman Langroudi: Everyone [00:56:15] says saving.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Because if they say saving, then.

Payman Langroudi: Everyone says.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Saving. I mean, a lot of times now they don’t a [00:56:20] lot of they used to, I guess. But if they say, you know, I just want something that’s predictable, I don’t need [00:56:25] to worry about it. It’s in it’s done. It’s done then. Okay, well, maybe this really broken down molar is [00:56:30] maybe one we don’t try and save because yeah, like it’s probably not the best option for you. But [00:56:35] if for you saving every single tooth is a priority, then cool. We’ll go down that path. But [00:56:40] it’s complicated and might not work and you need to be accepting of that. So I guess you, [00:56:45] you end up picking up these sort of tricks. So I suppose [00:56:50] when, when you end up spending so much time speaking to people all day.

Payman Langroudi: Tell me about other inflection [00:56:55] points. Yeah. Because three minutes ago you were a dental student. Yeah. Now you’re [00:57:00] talking about, you know, cbct and you have other inflection points, [00:57:05] things, things that happened that made you realise X happened, made you realise Y, then [00:57:10] you looked into Z or like other inflection points that got you to this place. I [00:57:15] guess a lot of conversations with with mentors, right?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, that’s the biggest one, I think because [00:57:20] the, the, the beauty of dentistry is how many people [00:57:25] it’s not that big of a community, right? There’s not loads of us. So it’s quite easy to then [00:57:30] get to know so many people who are way more experienced than you and just see what they think. Um, [00:57:35] even people who are like a little bit more experienced is always quite nice because there are only like five years older [00:57:40] than you and they’ve only got five years more experience. They’ll, they will have faced the [00:57:45] problems I face now more recently, you know, if I ask someone who’s in their late 50s [00:57:50] 60s about stuff that I’m struggling with now, they probably yeah, [00:57:55] they’re too far the way the landscape then was so different for them.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, that’s [00:58:00] a very good point.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So I think having.

Payman Langroudi: Finding those guys was that because what you’re saying about Newcastle, uh, [00:58:05] playing sports or whatever or going out with people?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Like the dent SoC [00:58:10] is like Newcastle Dent SoC was how I made most of my friends in [00:58:15] dentistry. Now it’s coming a lot through courses and you know, like the B, A, C, [00:58:20] D, for example. That’s where I meet a lot of a lot of my newer, I guess, dental associates [00:58:25] and friends. But that’s the best way is just, I guess with like Instagram and social [00:58:30] media, it’s the easiest way. You know, you, you follow someone, you like their work, you message them [00:58:35] and then before you know it, you’re like really close friends and you’ve maybe not even met before. Um, [00:58:40] but those are the type of people I ask questions all the time. I’m in everyone’s DMs [00:58:45] all the time. Are you? Yeah, all the time. Depending on what the subject is, whatever the topic is, I’ll [00:58:50] ask a certain person a certain question because that’s their area. That’s who I can ask, you [00:58:55] know.

Payman Langroudi: How did you land these two brilliant jobs?

Ali Hashemizadeh: So when [00:59:00] I was in London in my mixed practice, um, there was a moment [00:59:05] I left work. I remember it vividly. Um, and I was on Instagram and [00:59:10] my friend just announced he got a job at this all singing, all dancing [00:59:15] practice just outside of London. I was like, how do I get that the same age as me? How do [00:59:20] I get that? That’s what I want. So I sent it to another friend and who’s a bit older [00:59:25] and he was like, well, clinically it’s not the problem. It’s no one knows you. [00:59:30] You know, that’s where your issue is. So just get yourself out there. So then [00:59:35] that’s what I did, you know, really pushed on Instagram, went to the b, a, c, d events, went to [00:59:40] as many events as I could find and slowly but surely with by [00:59:45] design, you know, it was very intentional. More and more people knew who I was. And [00:59:50] off the back of that just makes it so much easier to land a job that you probably are maybe not quite qualified [00:59:55] for at the time, but they can see that, okay, you’re engaged, you know, maybe [01:00:00] if you’ve got enough recommendations from people that know you, you’ll, it’ll be far easier to land [01:00:05] a job that that you really want.

Payman Langroudi: But did you approach them? Did you [01:00:10] CV drop or was there a job?

Ali Hashemizadeh: No. So the first job I got was my one in [01:00:15] Darlington in Middleton, Saint George. That one I was actually coming up, so I knew I wanted to leave [01:00:20] London. Yeah, I was I was willing to move anywhere in the UK at that point. I was like, just, [01:00:25] I want to leave the city. Um, and I applied to a few jobs in the northeast. [01:00:30] One of them fell through, but he recommended me this practice. But [01:00:35] at the same time, Harry Craig was also working there. So he was like, I’ll put in a good word. And then [01:00:40] just off the back of that, I met up with the principal, Chris, and we got on really well and then it [01:00:45] just worked. So it was, I guess, off the back of a job that didn’t work out. I [01:00:50] then got referred on to this one. And then the practice, Ken’s practice was [01:00:55] they he’s reducing his time because he’s retiring. So they’re looking for someone to step in and [01:01:00] take over some of his days. Um, and I just knew the team, I knew [01:01:05] Ken, I knew Richard, I knew Harry, I knew them pretty well. So then they sort of approached me with [01:01:10] the offer and said, well, we want someone we know. Um, and the good thing there is [01:01:15] for both of them is because I’ve joined so young, is given them the opportunity to create [01:01:20] an associate that they want, you know, someone they want to work with so they can sort of shape you. Okay. [01:01:25] We prefer if you do things this way. Example. Um, so [01:01:30] like Richard, for example, Richard is an absolute titan with composite bonding. You [01:01:35] know, if you look at any of his cases, it’s just, it’s just insane. Um, [01:01:40] so a lot of times if I’ve got anything composite related anteriorly or anything aesthetic, [01:01:45] you know, makeovers, veneers, whatever, he’ll always come into my room [01:01:50] without a doubt. Without me asking, he’ll come in and be like, oh, I think this is a bit off. Maybe [01:01:55] change this, maybe change that.

Payman Langroudi: An angulation, a colour.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Whatever, just like a cancer bit off or, or [01:02:00] the colour’s a bit off or change this and that opens your eyes to seeing, [01:02:05] okay, that’s how I need to be approaching these cases. Not this way. Um, so it really starts [01:02:10] to shape the way you look at everything. You know, the way I do. You know, like a like a new [01:02:15] patient consult changed after working there because you see how it’s different. You know, the clinic [01:02:20] in um Middleton MSG that practice is really digital. Everything is [01:02:25] by design and both practices are kois trained dentists. [01:02:30] So it follows a lot of the protocols. So Chris at Middleton’s [01:02:35] got a really specific way. He likes the check-ups to be done because they follow a certain [01:02:40] pathway. You know, scans are really important in practice. Everyone’s got a scanner so you can [01:02:45] show patients everything. Um, so yeah, I mean, the way I am now has [01:02:50] been totally shaped by those two clinics. Definitely.

Payman Langroudi: Now I’m thinking you should [01:02:55] do this course as well.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Oh I’m considering I would really like to, I would really [01:03:00] like to. It’s like a, it’d be like a dream course to do for sure.

Payman Langroudi: Oh no. That was going to be my next like [01:03:05] one of my, one of my questions here, like, is that the answer? No. No time or money constraints. [01:03:10] What course would you do?

Ali Hashemizadeh: 100% course. Yeah, 100%. It is. It’s a huge investment [01:03:15] time and money. Um, so we’ll see. We’ll see. Definitely. I’m definitely interested [01:03:20] in doing it. It looks amazing. It’s it’s just like everything, you know, [01:03:25] um, it looks really cool. And I, because the practice I work in, I use a lot of the [01:03:30] philosophy already. Yeah. So it’d be quite nice to then get the formal training for [01:03:35] it rather than the distilled version.

Payman Langroudi: What’s the biggest difference in [01:03:40] these two practices?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um. That’s [01:03:45] tough. Ken works in a very unique way. [01:03:50] And his patients are unique as well. You know, they, they, [01:03:55] they’ve all been with him since he started the clinic.

Payman Langroudi: So it tends to happen. Your [01:04:00] patients reflect you somehow. Yeah. Over the years, you.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Speak to you speak to his patients? And they [01:04:05] are like, obsessed with him in like a really good way. Like he knows everything about [01:04:10] these patients. They the dynamic is really interesting.

Payman Langroudi: The clinic big [01:04:15] shoes to fill. If you’re seeing some of his patients.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Massive shoes to fill. [01:04:20] And there’s like.

Payman Langroudi: There’s a real honour, man.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I mean, it’s [01:04:25] it’s it’s amazing. You know, the, the patients are really understanding [01:04:30] as well. You know, you’d think if I was a patient and I’ve been seeing someone like that for so long, [01:04:35] and then you come in and you see this young kid, you might be taken aback, but a [01:04:40] lot of them are really understanding. I think the idea that he sort of endorsed me [01:04:45] or endorsed Harry, because Harry is really young. He’s only a year older than me, and we both work there, endorsed [01:04:50] both of us. They’re really open and understanding that, okay, like, this is who I want to put my trust [01:04:55] in now. And don’t get me wrong, I know my limitations. I’m not going to start trying [01:05:00] to bang out cases like he’s done. No, Definitely not. But it’s the it’s the right environment [01:05:05] to slowly make my way to that side, you know, to that type of dentistry. [01:05:10]

Payman Langroudi: I had a guy, Mike Hesketh on the podcast. Listen to that one. No he doesn’t. [01:05:15] Yeah. He does, he does. He did, he did this thing where he, he, I don’t know. The [01:05:20] highlight is the number. Highlight is he bought the practice for £250,000 [01:05:25] four years later, sold it for 3.4 million to Bupa. And [01:05:30] then he bought another one for 700,000. And three years later it’s worth three point [01:05:35] whatever million. And he’s got a military background. And he said something about just following following [01:05:40] instructions. So he followed the instruction of his first coach or whatever. But [01:05:45] one of the things he does is he makes the clinical lead [01:05:50] in the practice, the youngest person.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Okay.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. And [01:05:55] it’s so surprising. It’s surprising. Yeah. And he said, yeah, the clinical lead [01:06:00] right now the practice practices 27 year old and she’s, you know, whatever. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: And I said why but why [01:06:05] her?

Payman Langroudi: Like, why would you have the least experienced person? And he said two very interesting things. Man [01:06:10] one um, she’s not at all involved in the numbers of the practice. So [01:06:15] all the decisions are being made for good clinical reasons. Okay. Yeah. Whereas he’s fully involved [01:06:20] in the numbers, right. Yeah. And number two, she’s the one who’s closest to [01:06:25] university. So she’s the one closest to, you know, organised learning, latest [01:06:30] things, audits, these, these sort of things. And it’s such an interesting [01:06:35] notion, right? That of, of, of that because it just seems so counterintuitive.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. You never [01:06:40] have thought that’s the right way to do it.

Payman Langroudi: Would you. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But it works. It works like, you know, obviously [01:06:45] it’s kind of working here where Ken Harris is, is trusting his patience with you. Yeah. [01:06:50] Knowing he’s there, knowing that he’s got things in place that, you know, like [01:06:55] procedures in place in the practice and knowing that, you know, his patients trust [01:07:00] him enough that his choice for someone is going to be something that they’re going to accept, [01:07:05] right?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s interesting when you, when you fall, like, I [01:07:10] mean, putting all that trust in a young dentist, especially [01:07:15] for like a clinic that you’ve spent all your money on is bold.

Payman Langroudi: But there’s [01:07:20] an idealism in youth, isn’t there? You know, like you’re not tainted. Yeah, yeah, [01:07:25] yeah. Summer, spring in your step. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, exactly. You know, there’s that. [01:07:30] Let’s, let’s ask some of the key questions that I like to ask. What’s your [01:07:35] favourite educational experience lecture course.

Ali Hashemizadeh: The [01:07:40] the most eye opening, like the one that stands out in my memory is [01:07:45] the first conference I went to in London. Um, [01:07:50] I walked into the lecture hall, sat at the back.

Payman Langroudi: Who were you, a student at the [01:07:55] time or PhD?

Ali Hashemizadeh: So yeah, so not long after I met you for the first time. Walk [01:08:00] in, sit in the back. I was running late lectures just starting. And it was Lucas Lassman.

Payman Langroudi: Mhm. [01:08:05]

Ali Hashemizadeh: And that lecture blew my mind just.

Payman Langroudi: The [01:08:10] about it.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Just the attention to detail. No stone left unturned. Everything [01:08:15] was covered and everything he basically everything he did, you know, [01:08:20] he started talking about airway dentistry as well. And that my I [01:08:25] left totally mind boggled, you know, but the.

Payman Langroudi: The good [01:08:30] way.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I mean, like I left with so much enthusiasm and motivation to. Okay, that [01:08:35] is cool. I want to do that at some point. How do I get there? And I just need to [01:08:40] do whatever I can to, you know, get better because that that is really interesting. And it’s just, [01:08:45] I can’t describe just being sat there and thinking about this type of [01:08:50] outcome is not something I could ever imagine doing. I don’t even know if this was possible. And I just [01:08:55] put it on the screen like it was nothing, you know, like it was just another day at work for him. So yeah, [01:09:00] that by far stands out. Definitely.

Payman Langroudi: Any others.

Ali Hashemizadeh: That [01:09:05] that is like a frontrunner. I don’t think everything pales in comparison to that. [01:09:10]

Payman Langroudi: Go on. I mean, what what was it about it the course that the guy himself everything. But so [01:09:15] was the treatments that that blew you away.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: It was, it was.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yes. Like, [01:09:20] how on earth did he get these patients from, you know, a totally broken down mouth? Everything’s [01:09:25] collapsing. That patient can go to 100 dentists, and 50% of them would [01:09:30] say, you’re not getting any treatment here because it’s way too complicated. And he’s taking it and he’s made it [01:09:35] simple. He’s done it and it and it’s worked really well and his years of recall, [01:09:40] but actually it’s really complex work. But he’s made it look so easy. [01:09:45] And, and how can one person have all of that knowledge and skill at the same [01:09:50] time just blew me away. You know, it’s the same. You look at you listen to Ken speak, [01:09:55] or you look at any of his his recalls. I get to see it now, you know, you see the recalls and [01:10:00] it’s it’s real. You know, I’ve seen him lecture a few times and he puts on the [01:10:05] screen before and after and then shows you the next 15 years of recalls every [01:10:10] six months. And you’re like, this stuff lasts and nothing’s changed. Every [01:10:15] photo looks the exact same almost. And then you see the patient, the patient in real life and you’re like, [01:10:20] yeah, it is the exact same. Nothing’s changed. It’s been like 20 years, you know, and [01:10:25] it’s just how do you that is just amazing. [01:10:30] It’s like so inspiring that you can just get to that level of that level of dentistry [01:10:35] in your careers.

Payman Langroudi: Crazy love that. What about if I said, what’s [01:10:40] your favourite resource? Like it could be a book, it could be a YouTube [01:10:45] channel, it could be a podcast. It could be let’s have both dental and non-dental because you [01:10:50] seem into the A self-development piece.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um, in Dental. [01:10:55] Um, Dental a lot of my learnings come from the internet, you know?

Payman Langroudi: Um, yeah, [01:11:00] but.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Comparatively, comparatively, I’ve done not too many courses and YouTube’s one of [01:11:05] the, the highlights, the, the, the Indo YouTube channel I watch [01:11:10] the most is this guy called I love, I love the pulp. I love pulp, I think is it I don’t know. Yeah, I [01:11:15] don’t know. I’m not actually sure of his his actual name.

Payman Langroudi: Something.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Like that. But his, his account [01:11:20] is amazing because he breaks down educational. Yeah. So it’s case by case learning. [01:11:25]

Payman Langroudi: So the dentist obviously.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. So it’s, you know, treating this complex [01:11:30] upper right, six curved canals, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, whatever. But he breaks that. It’s [01:11:35] all recorded through his microscope and it breaks down every step. Why he’s deciding to use this file. [01:11:40] Why is he doing this type of an American? He’s no, he’s British. He’s from like the northwest. Oh, [01:11:45] really? Um, and it just breaks down every single aspect of the treatment. You’re like, oh, That’s [01:11:50] what I should be thinking, you know? Or it will be, you know, file retrieval, [01:11:55] render, whatever, whatever, any sort of type of treatment and endos he’s covered [01:12:00] and he’s covered really well and in detail. So it’s so easy to oh, I’ve got this type of case [01:12:05] coming up. I’ll just go on his YouTube channel search, whatever the main aspect of the [01:12:10] case, the difficult part of it will be, and he’s sure enough has made a video on it and made a really [01:12:15] good video on it. So his videos I watch all the time.

Payman Langroudi: I love that you don’t know his name. It’s beautiful. Like his [01:12:20] handle.

Ali Hashemizadeh: His handle is just. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: It’s like me and the guy from Red [01:12:25] bull. Yeah, exactly.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You don’t need to.

Payman Langroudi: Know his name.

Ali Hashemizadeh: The brand.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um, [01:12:30] but apart from that Instagram, you know, I’m sure.

Payman Langroudi: As you’re flicking, you’re saying. Or is [01:12:35] there a place specifically that’s giving you the most value on Instagram?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Like specifically you’ll go [01:12:40] on to, you know, you follow certain accounts, you know, are educational, you know, you [01:12:45] know, that are going to provide value, you know, like Prof. Blatz, for example. You know, everyone knows him. Everyone [01:12:50] follows him because you know, okay, I’ve got, you know, I’m fitting X, Y, Z, whatever. [01:12:55] What is the right way to do it? Just go on his page and you’ll find it. It’s brilliant. But also [01:13:00] you can follow different accounts. I follow so many people and everyone does their own niche. [01:13:05] And you can just pick up tips from everyone. You know. Um, there’s a guy in Dublin, [01:13:10] his Instagram’s Dublin endodontics. I don’t know anyone’s name. There’s no.

Payman Langroudi: Handles. [01:13:15] That’s how we know them.

Ali Hashemizadeh: But his, his cases are like just amazing. [01:13:20] You just, I don’t know how you can get that sort of outcome just with what [01:13:25] he’s doing. It’s I can’t explain it, but he recommended a book that [01:13:30] I’ve just ordered. It’s, um, I can’t remember. It’s [01:13:35] an ender book, something, something, a desk reference or something. Um, and it just, [01:13:40] he was like, yeah, this, this chapter, this chapter, this chapter, these are the ones I really focus on because these are really [01:13:45] interesting. This covers what I do. Yeah, brilliant. I can just go by that and learn.

Payman Langroudi: I love the fact [01:13:50] that, like, you’re passionate about endo. Like there’s someone else listening to this gig. This guy is off his [01:13:55] trolley. Yeah. For sure. So what’s what’s endo porn for you? Is it like those, [01:14:00] uh, those ninja access or. No, no, it’s.

Ali Hashemizadeh: The ones that are just so [01:14:05] broken down and they’re doing there’s like Herodotus, you know, they’re doing.

Payman Langroudi: All sorts [01:14:10] of.

Ali Hashemizadeh: They’re doing all sorts of wacky things, matrixing designs [01:14:15] to get it together.

Payman Langroudi: And yeah, it’s just, it’s just so.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s just because I’ve [01:14:20] you try that kind of stuff, maybe not to that degree, but you try it and [01:14:25] you know how hard it is when you see someone perform it to that level on Instagram, you’re like, [01:14:30] how? Just how, how have you achieved that type of outcome? Um, but it’s [01:14:35] good because all that stuff’s so inspiring. You know, you look at it and you can either see it and be like, I’m never going [01:14:40] to get there. I’m never going to achieve this. Or you can look at it and think, actually, that’s amazing. [01:14:45] How do I get there? And it just, you know, lights that fire inside you and you get excited about work [01:14:50] and then you can go in and be like, okay, I want to try that new technique I saw online. Um, [01:14:55] which is a lot of my learning has come from, you know, that’s where a lot of the new techniques, I’ll just see [01:15:00] it online and think, yeah, that’s what I need. That’s really useful and I can implement it on Monday. But, [01:15:05] um, outside of dentistry, I [01:15:10] think if it, if you can apply it to dentistry, um, perspective is a really [01:15:15] good one, right? So as I said earlier, when you have a really tough day and you can just step back and think, [01:15:20] you know, it’s fine, this will be okay. Um, there’s two books [01:15:25] I read them at uni, but the really good, uh, being mortal and [01:15:30] a man’s Search for meaning.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, I love that.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Both both of them put everything into perspective. Because [01:15:35] then you realise.

Payman Langroudi: That mortal I haven’t come across.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s so good.

Payman Langroudi: What’s the key?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Like, it’s about, [01:15:40] uh.

Payman Langroudi: You’re gonna die one day.

Ali Hashemizadeh: So it’s. Yeah, it’s essentially all about death, but [01:15:45] it’s a very personal story. You just read it and you understand that it [01:15:50] really puts everything into perspective that, you know, it doesn’t actually matter. You know, all the little things that you’re worrying [01:15:55] about, especially day to day. I’m like, oh, what’s that? Did I do that perfectly? Probably [01:16:00] you didn’t, but it’ll be okay. Like it’ll work and it’ll be fine, you know? But it’s so [01:16:05] easy to get so brought down by, by, especially if you go online and you [01:16:10] see people posting amazing work and you’ve just come home from work and you think you’ve just done a pretty bad [01:16:15] day’s work, you know, um, but it’s good. It’s really important today that it gives you that [01:16:20] chance to take a step back and think it’s actually okay. You know, it’s not that it’s not the end of the [01:16:25] world, you know, otherwise you just get so consumed by it all.

Payman Langroudi: So [01:16:30] you said modern wisdom as well.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Modern wisdom, the podcast that I’ve listened to since [01:16:35] uni, one of my me and one of my closest friends, we’ve been like modern wisdom junkies since. [01:16:40]

Payman Langroudi: It is good. It’s good. He makes me feel bad about myself because. Because he’s so focussed and [01:16:45] he’s from he’s from Newcastle. Is he is he, is he?

Ali Hashemizadeh: So I [01:16:50] think we must have been like second year or something. We’re on a night out. And we walked past the club that he was [01:16:55] working for or his club, and he was doing like tickets or whatever outside. And I was like, no [01:17:00] way, that’s you. And we went over and spoke to him and like, because it was so early on in his podcasts [01:17:05] career, he was so surprised to meet like us fans. You know, it’s quite [01:17:10] funny. It’s a funny interaction, but, um, no, such a good podcast.

Payman Langroudi: And okay, like, [01:17:15] listen, man, this, this podcasts are good for you. Like that one. Do you [01:17:20] have like a guilty pleasure?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, a guilty pleasure would be Phineas Finn [01:17:25] versus history. So he’s like a comedian and him and his co-host, they [01:17:30] talk about historical anything, you know, they’ll talk about [01:17:35] the arena revolution, for example, but they do it from a comedic perspective. [01:17:40] So they’ll go into detail of the history, but at the same time.

Payman Langroudi: It’s really sugar to sweeten. [01:17:45] The pill.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Is made to be really funny, and they go off track and it’s.

Payman Langroudi: What’s [01:17:50] it called, Finn versus history.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Versus history. It’s a bit crude, but like it’s really entertaining. And another [01:17:55] one I listened to all the time is, um, have a word. So it’s these Scouse [01:18:00] lads and they’re all comedians. And if you just need your commute home and you need to just laugh. [01:18:05] Yeah, you put it on and you’re yeah, you’re in tears within like ten minutes again. It’s quite a rude [01:18:10] podcast. It’s quite, you know, you have to be willing to endure some.

Payman Langroudi: I’m enjoying this, [01:18:15] this guilty pleasures. Let’s go into other guilty, other guilty pleasures like guilty pleasure, [01:18:20] fast food. Mine is KFC, man.

Ali Hashemizadeh: That’s [01:18:25] a good one.

Payman Langroudi: On a cold day, I can’t I can’t walk past KFC without thinking, oh. [01:18:30]

Ali Hashemizadeh: I’d have to be like shawarma when I lived in London, the. The [01:18:35] good thing is there’s not much near me in Newcastle Otherwise, when I lived here, it was all the time. [01:18:40] It’s so easy.

Payman Langroudi: Guilty pleasure. Um. Music.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Oh.

Payman Langroudi: Go [01:18:45] on. Oh.

Ali Hashemizadeh: That’s tough. That’s tough.

Payman Langroudi: This should be a whole new [01:18:50] section of my pod, man.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You could, you know, recently I guilty [01:18:55] about a friend of mine was like, you need to listen to a song again because everyone knows [01:19:00] it. Katy Perry, teenage dream.

Payman Langroudi: Which was that? How’d it go? Oh, I’m not singing [01:19:05] it.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I think it’s called Teenage Dream at least. Um. It’s so good. So good. So that’s [01:19:10] your. That’d be that would have to be currently. Currently it’s you know, it swings. [01:19:15] I love that about yourself. What have you got?

Payman Langroudi: Some, some some like crappy love song. [01:19:20] You know, like. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Sounds about right.

Payman Langroudi: Um, [01:19:25] KFC though, for sure. For sure. Um, I listen [01:19:30] to a lot of politics podcasts. Mhm. Yeah. And it’s interesting, like [01:19:35] things I do for me, right? I listen to restaurant podcasts, food, podcasts, chefs. [01:19:40]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Mhm. Yeah, yeah. A lot of that’s what my YouTube is made up of. A lot of. Oh really? Yeah, yeah. There’s a, [01:19:45] there’s a series I used to watch at uni all the time called Chef’s Night Out.

Payman Langroudi: Okay. [01:19:50]

Ali Hashemizadeh: So they, they just spend an evening with a chef. So they, they go [01:19:55] to the restaurant, see what it’s like. Then that chef will take these, you know, [01:20:00] the camera crew and a group of their own friends on their favourite night out. So it’s like all their favourite [01:20:05] restaurants, all their favourite bars. And it’s all.

Payman Langroudi: Is it a YouTube thing?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. And it’s all the places that [01:20:10] they go to regularly their.

Payman Langroudi: Friends.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Bars, their friends restaurants. And at the end they go back to their restaurant [01:20:15] and they cook for everyone.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, what a great show. Definitely send me the link to that.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I will. It’s so good. [01:20:20]

Payman Langroudi: It’s my favourite, favourite, favourite Anthony Bourdain. Oh yeah. Like my favourite.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Without a doubt.

Payman Langroudi: I [01:20:25] watch, I watch and listen like I’ve. I think I’ve seen it all now. Seen everything he’s ever done. [01:20:30] Yeah. But now I even listen to episodes that I’ve watched.

Ali Hashemizadeh: You go back through it, it, don’t you? Yeah, yeah. [01:20:35] Um, there’s a, you know. Yeah, yeah. Um, [01:20:40] so I attended his, uh, Dental disruptors thing the other day, the other week, [01:20:45] and he gave us a book, um, unreasonable hospitality.

Payman Langroudi: Oh yeah. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. [01:20:50] It’s, uh, I’m like halfway through it. And that is brilliant book. That was brilliant.

Payman Langroudi: Brilliant.

Ali Hashemizadeh: That is so good. And [01:20:55] the same the podcast with Chris on Modern Wisdom with Will the right, the author [01:21:00] of the book. Yeah. So good, so good that it opens your mind up to that [01:21:05] restaurant business that I’ve never even considered.

Payman Langroudi: Maybe I’ve got friends at [01:21:10] all levels in the restaurant world. Yeah, yeah. It’s a nightmare business. Like we [01:21:15] complain.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah about us. But like, you know, like if you go to a restaurant, you order something [01:21:20] for £49. It seems like quite an expensive plate. [01:21:25] Yeah, yeah. But when we do a filling for £49, it seems like a really cheap filling. [01:21:30]

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. But you know, you can’t charge more than 49 or once [01:21:35] in a while. I’ve paid £100 for a steak or something. Yeah, that’s kind of the limit [01:21:40] of it. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and so it’s hard to make money, man, because you [01:21:45] have to buy that stuff. You have to cook it. You have to do all of that, make it better than everyone else’s. [01:21:50] Yeah. Um, although when it works, it’s amazing. You know, like I heard Dishoom had like a $100 [01:21:55] million, $200 million, uh, valuation or something.

Ali Hashemizadeh: It’s crazy.

Payman Langroudi: And did you [01:22:00] that the guy, uh, caring. Richard caring. He just sold, um, [01:22:05] Ivy group for 1.4 billion. So. Ivy. Lucky [01:22:10] cat. Whatever.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: But [01:22:15] think how many restaurants fail.

Payman Langroudi: There must be so many loads. Loads.

Ali Hashemizadeh: There must be so [01:22:20] many.

Payman Langroudi: Such a hard job. Some of them were my friends had, like their dads had one restaurant. [01:22:25] You know, just the commitment, the work and just [01:22:30] the not knowing what’s going to happen next kind of thing. Let’s go like end it by kind [01:22:35] of projecting forward. What do you reckon? What comes to mind if I say your ideal five [01:22:40] year, ten year outcome?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um.

Payman Langroudi: Just [01:22:45] good ten year.

Ali Hashemizadeh: That’s good. Ten year, ten year. I think ten year as long as clinically. [01:22:50] I don’t think it really matters what I’m doing as long as it’s [01:22:55] fun, you know, as long as you still wake up.

Payman Langroudi: Enjoying the.

Ali Hashemizadeh: As long as you still wake up on Monday and you’re you [01:23:00] don’t have to be, you know, super excited about work, but you don’t hate it. You know, you’re, you’re looking forward to what you’ve got that [01:23:05] day. I think that’s important. Um, I think it’s too hard [01:23:10] to, to plan and predict ten years ahead. Even five years is so hard because things change [01:23:15] so much.

Payman Langroudi: Ai.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah. Or God knows what’s gonna happen. But, um, as long as, you know, as long [01:23:20] as there’s a balance between, you know, work is still fun and I enjoy it enough and I don’t hate it. [01:23:25] Yeah. Then I can’t really ask for much more really, because otherwise, you know, but.

Payman Langroudi: You’re not giving me any further [01:23:30] details. You’re not saying like, oh, I think I might be a practice owner by then. I might own a hundred [01:23:35] practice, like whatever. I mean, I might be a specialist.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. I mean, you don’t could, I could go down the route [01:23:40] of speciality by ten years time. I don’t think I will. I think I’d more likely I’m going to edge [01:23:45] towards saying a general dentist, but covering more things in more detail. Yeah. Hopefully [01:23:50] in ten years time I’m doing a lot more just complex work. So like rehabs [01:23:55] would be the goal. That would be really cool. Um, practice ownership hasn’t [01:24:00] it’s not something I’ve considered really. I think it if [01:24:05] you asked me this when I was at uni or three years ago, I would say 100% [01:24:10] no, I would never do it really, because it just seems like so much of a commitment [01:24:15] to what’s like a, it’s like a baby and it’s so all [01:24:20] consuming, you know, it becomes your life. And I’ve seen it in principles before. You know, that that [01:24:25] is everything to them. That’s what they’re working on all the time. Um, and I think that pulls you [01:24:30] away from your personal life quite a lot. And I don’t want that. I think the beauty [01:24:35] of being an associate is you can arrive, you can do your job, you can earn a living, [01:24:40] and then you can go home and not worry about the rest. Whereas I think as a practice owner, you don’t have that [01:24:45] luxury. And I don’t want that. You know.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, there’s there’s few jobs [01:24:50] as brilliant as a happy associate.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Exactly.

Payman Langroudi: Happy associate. I mean, there’s very many [01:24:55] unhappy associates. Yeah. But you don’t look like one of them. No, no.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Fortunately [01:25:00] not.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, it depends on what makes you happy as well. Right. Um, but there is few jobs. But [01:25:05] I remember being a happy associate around your stage. Mhm. Man, you’re king of the world, right? [01:25:10] You’re making money. You’re laughing with your patients. You’re laughing with your team. [01:25:15] Like you say, 530, it’s all over. Do what the hell you like after that. It’s [01:25:20] a good point, man.

Ali Hashemizadeh: But you never know. You know, in ten years time, you might think, actually, I want to. All this [01:25:25] time I’m investing into work. Why not have something to show for it? That’s not just [01:25:30] my monthly wage, you know. Why not have something that’s like, an asset, I guess. Um. Which [01:25:35] which I see on the.

Payman Langroudi: Side on the business side, you know, obviously you can make more being an associate [01:25:40] depending on how well you operate. Of course. Yeah. Um, but often, you know, it’s like [01:25:45] a kind of one of the reasons people switch from associate to principal. [01:25:50] The key reason it’s like a control point. Yeah. Yeah. And sometimes, you [01:25:55] know, your, your idea of what the patient journey could be diverges, [01:26:00] you know, even it could be on a building kind of level. It could be a [01:26:05] geography thing. It could be, I mean, I mean, obviously I get to see a lot of practices. Yeah. There are some [01:26:10] really extraordinary practices out there, man. There are some there are some really interesting [01:26:15] looking places you’ll see at ministry when I’ve invited people for that, [01:26:20] particularly that alternative patient journeys that they’ve done different looking places. [01:26:25] Some places they, they, they filter. Um, I’m thinking [01:26:30] of small stories. They filter patients. By the time the patients sitting in [01:26:35] the chair, he’s already going to go ahead. Yeah. You know, like kind of in your situation. [01:26:40] But you know, that’s practices have been built up over 30 years. Yeah. This practice that was [01:26:45] set up last year. Yeah. Um, so some that [01:26:50] might be the reason why you decide to go out on your own.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. You find a lot of times like clinical freedom [01:26:55] as well. Right. You know, you want to be doing it in your way because you’re always what you think is best. [01:27:00] But yeah, we’ll see. Ten years, a long time, maybe in ten years time. If we have this conversation again, [01:27:05] I’ll have a practice. But I’m not convinced at the moment. At the moment, practice ownership is not on my it’s [01:27:10] it’s not on my radar, but it’s so early.

Payman Langroudi: Although although although some people, you know, I had Anushka [01:27:15] from, uh, DiMera.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Mhm. Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: She, she had decided she wanted a corporate [01:27:20] in dental school. Wow. Yeah. And now she just got her 50th practice, and [01:27:25] she told me 50 was her goal.

Ali Hashemizadeh: There you.

Payman Langroudi: Go. She was 34 or [01:27:30] something. 41 when she came on the pod. Yeah yeah yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. It’s crazy. That’s spectacular. [01:27:35]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. Three children as well. Um, let’s end it with [01:27:40] the fantasy dinner party.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um.

Payman Langroudi: Three guests, dead [01:27:45] or alive.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. This is we, you know, we spoke a little bit about [01:27:50] you.

Payman Langroudi: Telling me you don’t like to idolise people. No. Go on then.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Because I think no matter who you idolise [01:27:55] for this dinner party, let’s say you, you you have to [01:28:00] idolise them. In my head as a whole, as a person. So if you take someone, you really [01:28:05] you really like their work ethic, right? But then you don’t know what’s going on beyond [01:28:10] that. You know, you don’t know what’s going on in their family life, what they’re like at home. So I think for me, my [01:28:15] answer has always been, I’ve listened to this podcast for ages. So I’ve thought about this a lot has [01:28:20] always just been my mum and dad and my sister, which you said is a cop out, [01:28:25] which I understand because I could just go home and have dinner with them all. Yeah. But the [01:28:30] way I, the way I’ll justify it is you speak to someone who’s, I [01:28:35] guess, you know, you speak to someone who’s older on their deathbed. Generally their advice is going to be what? [01:28:40] Have fun.

Payman Langroudi: Spend more time with your.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Family, spend your time with your family and there maybe work a little [01:28:45] bit less, worry about money less. But if they weren’t alive, you would take the answer, [01:28:50] right? You’d say, yeah, it’s an understandable answer to give, you know, like great.

Payman Langroudi: Because it’s called a [01:28:55] fantasy dinner party. That’s why.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, yeah. But it’s like your great grandparents, your grandparents and things. [01:29:00] But for me, it’s, you know, the only people I’ve looked up to idolised, I guess, [01:29:05] is my family.

Payman Langroudi: So maybe, maybe the idle word is just constricting for you.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Maybe.

Payman Langroudi: Who would you [01:29:10] like to meet?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um, if I had to pick someone, a [01:29:15] Chris Williamson would definitely be one because I’ve consumed all of his content before. [01:29:20]

Payman Langroudi: You’ve met him already, but. Okay.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: You want to talk to him?

Ali Hashemizadeh: Met him in passing. Met him in person. [01:29:25]

Payman Langroudi: To talk to him. Yeah. Okay.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um. Brian Cox. Professor? [01:29:30] Yeah, professor. That’d be a really.

Payman Langroudi: Cool guy, man. What a great guy.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Third one.

Payman Langroudi: Did [01:29:35] you go to the event where he was speaking in Dental showcase?

Ali Hashemizadeh: No, no, I didn’t, but I did see on [01:29:40] my phone. Um.

Payman Langroudi: Avi Banerjee was interviewing him. [01:29:45] Yeah. Do you know have you.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Not personally, but I know.

Payman Langroudi: He’s brilliant, but but he he [01:29:50] he said it was it was like one of the biggest days of his life.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Understandably.

Payman Langroudi: But, you know, he’s a professor [01:29:55] himself, right? Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, it’s a beautiful thing.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Um, a [01:30:00] third one.

Payman Langroudi: Sports someone.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I [01:30:05] think I would go with. Oh. I’m [01:30:10] stuck. Let’s go with. Can I give you two? Can we stick [01:30:15] with those two?

Payman Langroudi: Of course, of course. Cause we’re breaking all the goddamn rules.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I can’t give you a third one. [01:30:20] Maybe I’ll come up with one later, but.

Payman Langroudi: Give me two. Two more you were going to give me?

Ali Hashemizadeh: No, no, [01:30:25] no. Let’s go with those two.

Payman Langroudi: No, no. Come on. Who do you admire most in business? Who do you admire most in sports? Who do [01:30:30] you admire most in, you know, just. Just hit me. Oh.

Ali Hashemizadeh: I [01:30:35] think I would go with the. The [01:30:40] guy who wrote Atomic Habits, the book. I can’t think of his name, but [01:30:45] it’s a cool book. I really liked it. I read it when I was at uni and it.

Payman Langroudi: The problem with atomic habits, dude, is [01:30:50] that if you are like me, you’ll never finish the book, so [01:30:55] you can never build a habit. Yeah.

Ali Hashemizadeh: That’s the problem. That’s what you need to read the book.

Payman Langroudi: You need [01:31:00] to read the book. Yeah, yeah. You need to get like ChatGPT to summarise it first and then. [01:31:05]

Ali Hashemizadeh: In summary notes or even Simon Sinek who you mentioned earlier, he’d [01:31:10] be a really cool person to meet because he’s yeah, he’s pretty spectacular.

Payman Langroudi: Amazing [01:31:15] man. I had such an amazing time talking.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah. Me too. Thanks for having me.

Payman Langroudi: Flown by like [01:31:20] an hour and 40.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Amazing. Thanks so much for coming. And I’m going to see you in ministry, man. [01:31:25] Yeah, it’s gonna be lots and lots of fun.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.

Payman Langroudi: Take care everybody.

Ali Hashemizadeh: Thank you very much.

[VOICE]: This [01:31:30] is Dental Leaders, the podcast [01:31:35] where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [01:31:40] hosts Payman Langroudi and Prav [01:31:45] Solanki.

Prav Solanki: Thanks for listening guys. If you got this far, you must [01:31:50] have listened to the whole thing. And just a huge thank you both from me and pay for actually sticking [01:31:55] through and listening to what we’ve had to say and what our guest has had to say, because I’m assuming you [01:32:00] got some value out of it.

Payman Langroudi: If you did get some value out of it, think about subscribing. And [01:32:05] if you would share this with a friend who you think might get some value out of it too. Thank [01:32:10] you so, so, so much for listening. Thanks.

Prav Solanki: And don’t forget our six star rating.

Payman Langroudi: This podcast comes to you from Enlighten Enlightens, an advanced teeth whitening system [00:00:05] that guarantees results on every single patient. We’ve treated hundreds of thousands of patients [00:00:10] now and have a really clear understanding of what it takes to get every patient to that delighted [00:00:15] state that we want to get to. If you want to understand teeth whitening in much further detail, join [00:00:20] us for online training. It only takes an hour completely free. Even if you never use [00:00:25] enlighten as a whitening system, you’ll learn loads and loads about whitening. How to talk about it, [00:00:30] how to involve your teams. Join us. Enlighten online training. Com.

[VOICE]: This [00:00:35] is Dental Leaders. The [00:00:40] podcast where you get to go one on one with [00:00:45] emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [00:00:50] hosts Payman Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

Payman Langroudi: It [00:00:55] gives me great pleasure to welcome Grant Goodson onto the podcast. [00:01:00] Grant is actually married to a dentist, not a dentist yourself, [00:01:05] grant.

Grant Goodstein: But keep it far away from the teeth as humanly possible. Don’t want to ruin any smiles. [00:01:10] I leave that to our dentist.

Payman Langroudi: Um, Leo [00:01:15] Melkonian, who actually, your practice that you guys have just bought is [00:01:20] the closest dental practice to my house, and I walk past there multiple [00:01:25] times a day. A perfect smile that you guys are buying and the first perfect smile [00:01:30] that the original. Yeah. The original. And that group’s become one of our loads and loads [00:01:35] of practices. Um, and new to the UK. Two, [00:01:40] three years you’ve been here. Yeah. And new to the profession as well. But your own history [00:01:45] in Twitter and in tech companies. Um, so we’ll get [00:01:50] into it, but massive pleasure to have you actually come all the way here. We could have just done it from home, right?

Grant Goodstein: I know that’s what [00:01:55] I was thinking. Do it from your place, huh?

Payman Langroudi: Where do you.

Grant Goodstein: Live? I live. Leah and I live kind of near the Hammersmith [00:02:00] Bridge, so we walk to work every day. That’s one of our, uh. I can get a little bit more into [00:02:05] the journey of finding a practice and ultimately leading to the practice where Leo was already working. But yeah, we’re in the neighbourhood [00:02:10] too, and that’s part of what makes us so happy to do what we do is we actually treat our neighbours when we go to [00:02:15] Tesco, when we go to. I always joke with Leah, I’m used to going everywhere with Leah and [00:02:20] she’s everyone’s dentist and they love her and her patients are crazy about her. She gets recognised everywhere and people want to [00:02:25] talk to her. But since I started sitting on the desk and owning the practice’s practice, sometimes I have people who [00:02:30] recognise me too, including the ones who aren’t her patients or our other associates patients. So I always [00:02:35] joke with her. Leah. I was out at getting groceries and I had a celeb sighting today. [00:02:40] Someone recognised me. So it’s always it’s always a lot of fun, but.

Payman Langroudi: So I mean, how [00:02:45] did you two meet?

Grant Goodstein: Yeah, so we met. This is, uh, she might be slightly embarrassed with me telling the story, [00:02:50] but that’s never stopped me from doing anything like this before. Uh, she was, uh, [00:02:55] she’s English. She grew up just outside of London in Surrey, and she was [00:03:00] on PhD year. She was working in Essex and she had some, you know, it’s the rare year as a [00:03:05] dentist where he actually have like PTO, like, uh, annual leave, uh, which, [00:03:10] you know, when you’re self-employed associate, you don’t have. And she had a bunch of days she hadn’t taken any holiday yet. This was [00:03:15] just coming out of Covid and she thought, oh, you know what I want? And the reason why is she’s a huge Hannah [00:03:20] Montana fan. That was her favourite show growing up on the Disney Channel. And those who are are [00:03:25] fans, as I’m sure most of your listeners are, know that Hannah Montana, set in Los Angeles in her [00:03:30] house, is a famous house in Malibu. So she was like, I want to live my my Hannah [00:03:35] Montana dream. She’d never been to Los Angeles before. And she said, booking the solo holiday. There are flights for [00:03:40] like £300 per turn, timing it right out of Covid. So she did it and she thought, well, I’m there. Wouldn’t [00:03:45] it be a fun story to tell my friends and family, uh, to go on a date with American guy? So she go to the [00:03:50] dating app. She goes and, uh, we, we mutually swiped on each other [00:03:55] and got to chatting a bit and she told me she her favourite food is sushi so I said, great, we’re going [00:04:00] for sushi when you’re here. And we had a couple of great dates when she was in Los Angeles and. [00:04:05] But obviously it’s not practical, right? Living over 5000 miles away and I was going [00:04:10] midweek up to Las Vegas with some friends. I had a concert that I was [00:04:15] really excited to see Silk Sonic. If you’re familiar with them, Bruno Mars and Anderson.

[BOTH]: Oh, Bruno Mars like.

Grant Goodstein: Great [00:04:20] kind of soul album that they did. And they were doing a residency in Vegas. I had two of my good friends that [00:04:25] I was going with, and on the morning I was supposed to leave, both friends had to cancel last minute [00:04:30] for the trip to Vegas from Los Angeles. One got Covid, the other had a personal emergency come up. And [00:04:35] so all of a sudden I had these tickets to the concert. I just gone on two dates with Leah. I call her out of the blue. I’m [00:04:40] like, I know we don’t know each other that well. Um, but would you want to come to Vegas with me? [00:04:45] And we kind of, once we started spending time together in Vegas, went to the concert, we kind of fell in love and have been [00:04:50] inseparable since we did long distance for a while. And we would try to meet every month or two was [00:04:55] for me at the time I was working remotely in tech, so it was easy ish for me to get away and work [00:05:00] from abroad and do all those kind of things. Um, so we were able to do that until finally [00:05:05] I was able to make it over here on a full time basis.

Payman Langroudi: So was there no question of her moving to you?

[BOTH]: Um. [00:05:10]

Grant Goodstein: It was, but one of the things as a dentist [00:05:15] is the US.

[BOTH]: Doesn’t.

Grant Goodstein: Make it very easy. So she would have to go back to school at a cost of 100,000 [00:05:20] a year for a minimum of three years. So it was firstly, I love London. It’s [00:05:25] uh, will be.

[BOTH]: Had you been before?

Grant Goodstein: I’ve been before once as like a student and, you know, went [00:05:30] to the, to the London Bridge and the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. All the things [00:05:35] us Americans think you should do when you come to London, which I’d really tell all my friends to skip when they’re here. I’d [00:05:40] had a good time. I remember it was when the pound was a lot stronger compared to the dollar, and I had a two [00:05:45] week trip in Europe to visit some friends who were studying abroad, and I spent my entire budget in my four days in.

[BOTH]: London. [00:05:50]

Grant Goodstein: For the trip. So I drank a lot of cheap beer and Prague after that and mostly survived on [00:05:55] that and water. Um, but yeah, so I’ve been to London once before and then got to know London much [00:06:00] better. While I was dating Leah, I was back and forth quite a bit and, um, really fallen [00:06:05] in love with it. And this is where we’ve obviously been buying and buying a business here. Uh, [00:06:10] we’ve decided to make this our, our permanent home for the next many years.

Payman Langroudi: While we’re on it. [00:06:15] What’s the best and worst things about London compared to someone outside of I miss my [00:06:20] family and friends. I mean, yeah, just as a town.

Grant Goodstein: So for me, what I love again, I grew up in Los Angeles and in [00:06:25] Southern California, which means you’re kind of reliant on a car to go everywhere, right? Like people come to Los Angeles [00:06:30] and they see the beaches right there, but they don’t realise next to the beach is a massive four lane highway [00:06:35] that you have to cross in either direction. It’s just it’s not ideal, but it’s a reality of [00:06:40] a city that was built and kind of built up in the 1950s. This is very reliant on cars. I love [00:06:45] being able to walk and take the tube everywhere I go. I just love the energy that it brings. [00:06:50] I like the idea of like, even in our business, right? Everyone who comes to our practices lives five, [00:06:55] ten minutes away. They live. I’m sure all your neighbours or many of your neighbours come into our practice. [00:07:00] And I love that energy that comes with the idea that you can just pop over to [00:07:05] Tesco and grab the groceries you need for dinner. Doesn’t all involve this effort of getting in the [00:07:10] car.

[BOTH]: It’s only it’s.

Payman Langroudi: Only New York, which is like that.

[BOTH]: Yeah, the East Coast, like [00:07:15] Boston and places like.

Grant Goodstein: That are a little bit more similar, right? I think people came over from England [00:07:20] to the States to start. So the original East Coast cities, Philadelphia, Boston, [00:07:25] New York are a little bit closer to a London field. But on the West Coast, I mean, the population [00:07:30] in California, especially in Southern California in LA, wasn’t any size [00:07:35] until between the 30s and 40s, which kind of came right with the popularisation of [00:07:40] the car. So everything’s built around cars.

[BOTH]: So I.

Payman Langroudi: Found DC the most European. [00:07:45]

[BOTH]: City.

Grant Goodstein: So, um, international and diverse as well. You walk similar to London [00:07:50] and you walk down the street and you could hear five different.

[BOTH]: Languages.

Grant Goodstein: From five different people. I [00:07:55] love DC, I used to be there quite a bit in my previous job.

Payman Langroudi: So good time that Georgetown [00:08:00] bit. Very nice.

Grant Goodstein: That was my dream uni that I didn’t get into.

[BOTH]: Oh really?

Grant Goodstein: Yeah, I fell in love. I went during [00:08:05] high school with my family on a trip to Washington DC and just fell in love with it.

Payman Langroudi: It’s very strong on international [00:08:10] relations, that sort of thing.

Grant Goodstein: Oh yeah, I must be. I originally thought maybe I wanted to study [00:08:15] political science.

[BOTH]: Maybe.

Grant Goodstein: Go do some of that. I didn’t, I wound up studying economics, so something completely [00:08:20] different.

Payman Langroudi: So and then you went from economics into tech.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: Um, so I, my [00:08:25] whole life grew up thinking I wanted to work in sport. I’m obsessed with sport and it’s my passion. I always had [00:08:30] this joke within my family because I was really like, um, as a kid, [00:08:35] every kid wants to grow up being the star of the basketball team. I was okay at sports. I was never, [00:08:40] I was good enough to make the team and a good team, but not certainly enough to be any sort of [00:08:45] star or more than a bench player and in my high school. But what I [00:08:50] was interested in is like the business and the back end of sports. So my dream job [00:08:55] growing up from the time I was like five years old, was to be the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers. [00:09:00]

[BOTH]: That was my dream.

Grant Goodstein: Basketball was my sport growing up. And you know, all the kids are pretending they’re going to be Kobe Bryant [00:09:05] or Shaquille O’Neal. And I was going to be the guy.

[BOTH]: Making the trades, moving the pieces. [00:09:10] So I was like, yeah, there’s very.

Grant Goodstein: Few Jewish kids with limited jumping abilities playing in.

[BOTH]: The NBA. [00:09:15]

Grant Goodstein: So that was going to be the more likely route for me. And I really pursued that, that [00:09:20] dream through university as well. So I wound up going to the University of Michigan, which outside of having [00:09:25] great university sports, also home to the US’s best Dental school. So maybe that was a little bit [00:09:30] of foreshadowing there as well. But so I went to Michigan and I went the.

[BOTH]: What’s the.

Payman Langroudi: Name of that [00:09:35] town?

Grant Goodstein: Ann Arbour.

[BOTH]: Michigan. Ann Arbour So.

Grant Goodstein: Where there’s major scandal right now going on with our football [00:09:40] coach was just fired in disgrace. So don’t get me started on that American football coach, [00:09:45] I should say. Yeah. Um, but yeah, so I showed up on the first day of campus, and I found out where the [00:09:50] basketball team’s offices were, and I knocked on the door and I said, can I work here? I want to be [00:09:55] a part of this. And I said, uh, there’s other people interested, but come back next week and we’re doing interviews [00:10:00] for our student managers and, uh, for those who don’t know, and I’d imagine probably not a lot of Americans [00:10:05] listening to the podcast, but American college sports and our unis are, [00:10:10] are on a scale that’s probably hard for most British people to understand. Uh, football [00:10:15] is the biggest thing. And at Michigan, our football stadium, Michigan Stadium, is [00:10:20] the size of the Wembley Stadium, plus the O2, and that’s sold out [00:10:25] every weekend during football stadium. So 110,000.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, I noticed, I noticed, I noticed [00:10:30] sometimes the college football stars are bigger than the NFL [00:10:35] ones, like in local towns, right?

Grant Goodstein: It’s it’s absolutely massive. The more than 100% [00:10:40] of the population, like the city’s not even 100,000. We have 115,000 [00:10:45] in the stadium every Saturday for football, so it’s a lot of fun. Our basketball arena, you know, 13,000 [00:10:50] fans screaming, going crazy, jumping up and down the whole game. It’s really a cool experience. [00:10:55] And if you’re a fan of sport, I’d encourage any fan of sport to check out American University Sports. [00:11:00] But anyway, I wound up interviewing, I wound up getting the job, and it was the transformative experience [00:11:05] of my career in university. Um, frankly, I wasn’t an outstanding [00:11:10] student. By the time I didn’t get there. I slept through a lot of classes, but I learned so much and so much that [00:11:15] I take with me today, um, from working for the basketball team. It was, uh, by the time [00:11:20] I was in my third and fourth year, I was working 40, 50, 60, 70 hours a week. So [00:11:25] a lot more time spent. So I was, I started out basically doing all the dirty work that no one wants to do. That’s [00:11:30] player falls on the floor wiping up the sweat. Everything from [00:11:35] setting up the cones for the drills. Basically, our job was to allow it so the players can focus on playing. [00:11:40] Our coaching staff could focus on coaching. We did all the dirty work that helped everyone [00:11:45] focus on their task. As my time evolved, I had a very special [00:11:50] interest in analytics and the numbers around sports, which is especially [00:11:55] at that time in the early part of I started uni. Between 2012 and 2016, [00:12:00] that was growing like crazy. So that was an area of interest for me. And I kind of pitched [00:12:05] an additional role to the staff to be kind of the, the analytics manager for the team as well. So putting [00:12:10] together all sorts of reports, both from games and practices. But again.

Payman Langroudi: Is there a gambling edge to that [00:12:15] as well?

Grant Goodstein: There is. It’s highly illegal for the folks involved in it to be [00:12:20] like. So I was certainly not gambling on. I’m not much of a gambler anyways, but there’s [00:12:25] sports.

Payman Langroudi: Gambling is a gigantic thing.

Grant Goodstein: Gambling is growing like crazy. The UK was well ahead of the US. [00:12:30]

Payman Langroudi: Because it was.

Grant Goodstein: Legal or illegal and now legal, and I think 46 of the 50 states and the [00:12:35] US, California is actually one of the few exceptions that doesn’t allow it on a legal basis, but it’s not hard [00:12:40] to do it if you want to do it on a on a semi-illegal basis. But yeah, there’s a [00:12:45] lot of math and statistics that go into that as well. But yeah, it was a transformative experience. [00:12:50] I worked under kind of a very legendary coach in that world, the same as John Beilein. He’s if, you know, [00:12:55] college basketball, this was one of the all time great worked up from the bottom, self-made [00:13:00] kind of men. And he a lot of the lessons that he brought in the way [00:13:05] that he led the team is stuff that we use every day, actually in our practice now, in the way.

Payman Langroudi: That [00:13:10] we tell me what kind of things.

Grant Goodstein: So something that was very interesting to me and something that was unusual [00:13:15] is I think people operate best when they’re at their most [00:13:20] enthusiastic and their most engaged, but that can be very hard to. Everyone has a bad day. [00:13:25] Everyone is someone sick. Someone just had their grandmother die a few weeks [00:13:30] ago. There’s. Life happens, right? Yeah. Um, so one of the things that [00:13:35] he believed in was creating rituals to build enthusiasm. So the every day would start [00:13:40] with a film session. So they would look at the film from games and practices before they went on to the court to take [00:13:45] to to do the practice or play the game. He would be the last one to enter the room. All [00:13:50] the players would get there at least five minutes early if the film session started at one. You got to be in the room [00:13:55] by 1255 at one on the dot. He comes through the door. [00:14:00] Every player gets up out of their chair and starts clapping and screaming. It’s probably the most American [00:14:05] thing that you’ve ever heard. British people would find this horrifically cringeworthy and embarrassing, [00:14:10] but it created this sense of enthusiasm, even though it was a ritual. And it’s [00:14:15] like, this is what we do. It created a real enthusiastic ritual. So all the dentists and [00:14:20] everyone, last I come in, we don’t do the same thing every morning, but we come in and I say good morning, and [00:14:25] I go into every dentist room, every hygienist room, give them a big good morning, get [00:14:30] them fired up for the day. We’ve got a fully booked diary. Let’s let’s do this. Let’s let’s let’s fix [00:14:35] some teeth. I mean, I just bring that again, very American, probably anti-British [00:14:40] sense of enthusiasm.

Payman Langroudi: You know what? I think the problem with enthusiasm [00:14:45] is that what you’re saying, the cringe worthy part of it is if there’s nothing solid behind [00:14:50] it, yeah.

Grant Goodstein: You got to back it up.

Payman Langroudi: If there’s something solid behind it, well, enthusiasm is the best thing in the world, [00:14:55] isn’t it? You know, like I hear where you’re coming from, like, I’m sure some nurse is like, oh, [00:15:00] here we go again. But but it’s the key point is, is there something to back it up [00:15:05] or not? Yeah. You know, if you’re making these changes and you’re making this place the best practice around and all that, [00:15:10] then hell, let’s be enthusiastic.

Grant Goodstein: And that’s our vision. And I think part of that is do you have [00:15:15] the right team behind you? We’re now a team of 14, including myself, um, combination of [00:15:20] dentists, dental nurses, practice manager, um, hygienists of that 14, [00:15:25] only three, one of which is my wife are holdovers from the practice that we took [00:15:30] over in July.

Payman Langroudi: Okay, okay.

Grant Goodstein: It’s almost a new team and that energy and enthusiasm [00:15:35] and that presence.

Payman Langroudi: It was always there.

Grant Goodstein: It’s like the number one quality that we’re looking for. Like so. [00:15:40]

Payman Langroudi: The.

Grant Goodstein: Process to be critical of anyone in the past as a practice was very successful in [00:15:45] the past and there were great clinicians and staff.

Payman Langroudi: What happened? Did you come in saying, this is my vision [00:15:50] and people weren’t aligned? And yes, you managed managed them out?

Grant Goodstein: Yes. And it wasn’t [00:15:55] all my choice, to be honest people. Um, we had and again, business owners will know this when [00:16:00] there’s change. Not everyone likes the idea of change. That’s true. Even if that change can and will [00:16:05] be and you expect it to be a positive. I had multiple staff members who told me I sat down with [00:16:10] everyone when we let the team know that we’d be buying, and the team was not as familiar with [00:16:15] me, but they were very familiar and loved Leah. And it was a team effort where she leads the clinical side [00:16:20] and I lead the operational side and we made some changes. For example, instead of first patient at nine, first patient’s [00:16:25] at 8 a.m. now, so that’s one change. Not everyone’s enthusiastic, especially people who are commuting [00:16:30] with. And we didn’t do it from day one. We said, we want to give you a three month warning. If this is where we’re headed, We. [00:16:35] The last thing we want to do that wouldn’t be fair, but we gave everyone fair warning. We said, [00:16:40] these are going to be some of the changes. This is how we want to change the atmosphere. This is how we want to change the energy. This is what we’re going to [00:16:45] do. And multiple members of staff basically gave me the middle finger and said, good luck without [00:16:50] me. And we were surprised. We thought, everyone loves Leah because she’s so loved [00:16:55] in that practice. She was a practice as a corporate three surgery practice. There’s no [00:17:00] principal dentist, but she was there four days a week. She had really taken an interest in the practice [00:17:05] and patients loved her. People would come in asking for Leah, which is, I think, not always so [00:17:10] typical in a typical corporate dental practice. So she kind of felt the sense of ownership [00:17:15] already that, of course, when we became the actual owner, she kind of expected that the team would get behind her [00:17:20] and ideas and it ultimately wasn’t the case. So, um, we finding [00:17:25] those right team members became our priority.

Payman Langroudi: I think it’s interesting as I was a dentist [00:17:30] before I stopped years ago, but as a, as an associate, your [00:17:35] relationship with the team is very different to. As the business owner that I am [00:17:40] here. And there’s almost as a as an associate, especially in a [00:17:45] corporate situation here, there’s a bit of an us and them thing going on, especially [00:17:50] because there’s no one you can literally go to who’s got absolute power. People have to keep [00:17:55] putting things up the chain.

Grant Goodstein: I think there’s some people who like that. Actually, one of the reasons they prefer to work at a corporate [00:18:00] is because a corporate environment is generally going to be a bit more hands off, right? There’s not someone.

Payman Langroudi: You can [00:18:05] hide, right?

Grant Goodstein: You do things your own way, like again, whereas if you have the principal and the principal’s [00:18:10] husband who are there from a business and operational side, we do have some things that we have a pretty clear [00:18:15] idea of how we want them to be done, and we hold our team accountable to the way that we want to be done. Again, [00:18:20] ultimately for clinical things. Firstly, that’s the last place where I feel comfortable [00:18:25] or appropriate to butt in because I am not clinical whatsoever. Although Leah jokes that I’m ready for year [00:18:30] two of dental school now, based on what I might have learned.

Payman Langroudi: People talk about classically when [00:18:35] there’s two two trains of thought on this subject of when you buy a practice. Some [00:18:40] people talk about evolution and some people talk about revolution. And the evolution [00:18:45] path is the sort of the lower risk way of doing it right, is that you’re going to [00:18:50] come. You’re not going to rock any boats. You’re going to keep things very much the same so [00:18:55] that the staff don’t get scared off and the patients don’t get scared off. You’re going to [00:19:00] assess it properly, and then you’re going to make small change after small change. Even if [00:19:05] your ultimate goal is something very different to what we are today. The other approach says [00:19:10] there’s memories in this old approach that I almost want to physically [00:19:15] rip out of the wall. Yeah, and the fact that I’m coming and ripping when [00:19:20] the room was oriented this way. Now I’ve taken that wall out and now the room’s oriented that way. The memories [00:19:25] of the previous practice are gone. And now? Now we can start fresh. I guess that was your [00:19:30] approach.

[BOTH]: I think so.

Grant Goodstein: Some of it was by choice, some of it was not. I think one of the things that is the [00:19:35] reality and the environment is, firstly, we’re first time practice owners, we’re young. I [00:19:40] think there’s I’m 31. Leah’s a bit younger than me. There’s not. Firstly, many practice [00:19:45] owners our age, especially first time practice owners, especially not in London. [00:19:50] The reality of the business right now is, firstly, we had [00:19:55] a little bit more knowledge about what was working well and what we wanted to change. I think because she had been working in this [00:20:00] practice as an associate, made that a little bit clearer. The other part is with the way practice [00:20:05] valuations sit right now and the way the model used to work, and it was interesting talking and learning from [00:20:10] Chirag, who’s been an absolute class act, who sold us the practice with under. He [00:20:15] wasn’t thrilled with the idea at first, but he came around to it. We could talk about that.

Payman Langroudi: I liked Chirag.

[BOTH]: When.

Payman Langroudi: He grows [00:20:20] on you, man.

[BOTH]: Yes, he’s a sweet. He’s a sweet guy.

Grant Goodstein: Especially once you get to know him. And he’s been, again, [00:20:25] very generous with his expertise with me. But when he was telling me when he was starting to buy by practices [00:20:30] 20 years ago. With perfect smile. They were trading at about 30% of turnover. So you [00:20:35] were wanted to buy a practice with half £1 million in turnover. You were paying what, [00:20:40] 100 and sorry, 150,000 for that practice now, rather than [00:20:45] a multiple of turnover, which which is a third. They’re trading at about 7 to [00:20:50] 10 times profit. And the profit margin is generally about 20% [00:20:55] for, for a typical practice, rather than trading at, let’s call it one third [00:21:00] of turnover, they’re now trading at one and a half times turnover. So it’s five times [00:21:05] the cost to buy the exact same contract practice as it was 20 [00:21:10] years ago. And the truth is, especially with rising interest rates or I guess they’re not risen compared to where [00:21:15] they were, um, let’s call it a decade ago. Yeah. Um, we couldn’t [00:21:20] afford to keep the practice as it was. And that was part of what our vision was. We bought [00:21:25] the practice knowing that if we didn’t grow, we [00:21:30] weren’t going to be successful in this. So our. And that was one of the reasons why we felt [00:21:35] there was opportunity again. Perfect smile is an incredible business, but it [00:21:40] just is a different reality to have a principal husband, wife, team led business. [00:21:45] There’s a different level of attention to detail and pursuit.

[BOTH]: Of opportunity.

Payman Langroudi: Much more.

Grant Goodstein: Exactly [00:21:50] versus on a corporate model. Again, this is, I want to be clear, no criticism of of them as they [00:21:55] do an incredible job in running their group. But we came into it with a very clear [00:22:00] picture and some underwritten assumptions.

[BOTH]: And some.

Grant Goodstein: Changes.

[BOTH]: That we could.

Payman Langroudi: Just. Okay, just just quickly, [00:22:05] if you will, if you’re, if you’re, if you’re, if you’re wanting to. Yeah. Give me [00:22:10] a couple of the highlights of what did you already know you could change to [00:22:15] make this place more profitable?

[BOTH]: So I would say.

Grant Goodstein: And I want to focus on my, my [00:22:20] priority was not to make it more profitable first. Not that we didn’t [00:22:25] want it to be more profitable because we certainly do. Our priority first was actually what do patients [00:22:30] want? Ask patients what do they want? And my firm belief in business is if you’re meeting your customers [00:22:35] needs better, your business will be more profitable so long as you look at the financial logic behind [00:22:40] it. You can’t you can’t sell pounds for £0.50 as long as you stay away from doing that. [00:22:45] Um, you have an opportunity to do well. So one of the things that was interesting was every, [00:22:50] uh, patient, if you ask them, what change would you like to see most? Which Lea asked [00:22:55] lots of patients as they said, I want to be able to see the hygienist here. You only have a hygienist in one [00:23:00] day a week. I would like to see it. It was. The hygienist was booked like six months [00:23:05] in advance. So the first change we made from we took over on July 1st. [00:23:10] From July 2nd, we had hygienist four days a week. Now we have the hygienist five days a week [00:23:15] now. Did you find.

Payman Langroudi: The space for that?

Grant Goodstein: That comes back to the equation and the [00:23:20] hour. So we expanded the hours of the practice. We started instituting split shifts. So we have a hygienist [00:23:25] and 8 to 2 some days 9 to 6. Some days we’re starting to add a 230 to [00:23:30] 8 shift. We’re thinking about how we open availability on weekends. And again under [00:23:35] a corporate model, it’s hard to make those changes. And it’s not easy because the manager doesn’t necessarily [00:23:40] feel empowered to say, okay, we need to build out Saturdays because that manager doesn’t [00:23:45] want to work on Saturdays. And that’s what’s ultimately going to drive.

Payman Langroudi: I think the 8 to 8, seven days [00:23:50] a week model might end up being a necessity. Yeah. Um, [00:23:55] especially, you know, what sort of grinds my gears, if you like, is where people, [00:24:00] you know, there’s a vanity metric of having more than one practice. Yeah. You almost feel like [00:24:05] if you can go from 1 to 2, you can go from 1 to 100 almost. Yeah. You want to just be able to replicate. [00:24:10] Yeah. But the, the people who go to number two before sweating number one properly [00:24:15] and you see it a lot. I mean, in your place at the end of the day, it’s a shop front and [00:24:20] you know, okay, maybe you can go down. But you know, sometimes I see it in some, you know, outside [00:24:25] London, massive building and, and space for [00:24:30] development. But they’re talking about moving on to a second practice. They’re not open 8 to 8, [00:24:35] seven days a week.

Grant Goodstein: We’d much rather focus on exactly. Um, how do we offer more [00:24:40] in our current footprint? And I hope and expect that we’ll be in a place to grow that footprint or replicate [00:24:45] that. Our hope would be to find more space in or near the current footprint. [00:24:50] So whether it’s the flat above becomes available or the building next door, that would be something we’d love to do in the future. [00:24:55] But again, if we’re open 9 to 5 Monday through Friday and closing at 430 on Fridays, [00:25:00] like exactly as you said, we should be open Saturdays. We should be open evenings. We should be thinking about all [00:25:05] those things before we say, okay, it’s time to open the next one. So there’s still a lot of work to do. [00:25:10] We’re about five and a half months into this journey, and I think it’s going to my kind of timeline is I think [00:25:15] it’s going to take two years of really focussed effort. We still have an open Saturdays yet. We’re just going to be opening, [00:25:20] uh, evenings in February.

[BOTH]: It’s not easy. It’s not easy.

Payman Langroudi: The 2 to 8 shift [00:25:25] is one that you could. It’s difficult to find people for. Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: Um, one of the things actually that might surprise [00:25:30] you is I, in listening to your podcast and others, people talk about finding clinicians, hiring [00:25:35] dentists, hiring hygienists, being really hard. We have not had that same problem whatsoever. [00:25:40] Dental nurses have been a little bit more challenging to find. Um, but [00:25:45] what I’ve found coming from outside the industry is when you present your practice as [00:25:50] different and you again, not just present it as different, but then show how it’s different. People [00:25:55] will flock to you. There’s a lot of dentists who are really fed up with the traditional corporate model and the [00:26:00] expectations of them, and the rigour that comes with some of the constraints that are put on them. [00:26:05] I think there’s a lot of dentists who are really, really interested.

[BOTH]: Give me your pitch.

Payman Langroudi: Give me your pitch. Do you give to an [00:26:10] associate?

Grant Goodstein: Yeah. So I think, um, firstly the area that we’re in is, [00:26:15] is favourable for an associate. Right. Um we are a, we are a proudly mixed practice. We [00:26:20] have NHS patients and we have.

[BOTH]: Why did you choose.

Payman Langroudi: To do that? Why didn’t you choose to go fully private? [00:26:25]

Grant Goodstein: Um, it’s two reasons. Two reasons I’d say. Um, [00:26:30] one is that I and this isn’t different for me as an American, right? Because I didn’t grow [00:26:35] up with the NHS where I’m from, we pay for all healthcare and medical and dental. [00:26:40] Um, but I quite like the vision and the mission of the NHS. And I wish that there was more access to health [00:26:45] care in my own home country. So one, I really like that we’re able to provide access, [00:26:50] particularly to children and people who don’t have the funds to pay. I think that’s great. The second [00:26:55] thing for us in our area, I mean, we’re very lucky that we live in quite a nice area of London, [00:27:00] and that means that the patients who come into our practice are generally people who do have the means to opt [00:27:05] for some of those private treatments, whether it’s whitening their teeth with enlighten, whether it’s Invisalign [00:27:10] to to fix anything that they’ve been insecure about. When they’re thinking about fillings and crowns, [00:27:15] they want to look for those tooth coloured options. So for us, it’s actually quite a nice balance because [00:27:20] we never have to worry about as an NHS practice, never have to worry about any gaps in the [00:27:25] diaries. And at the same time, a lot of those patients, when you educate them, talk to them about, learn [00:27:30] what their goals are. Take great interest in in what they would like [00:27:35] both for the function and the aesthetics of their smile. What we find is when we properly [00:27:40] educate patients, they’re very interested and prefer to go for a lot of those private treatments. [00:27:45]

Payman Langroudi: So okay, so you know your first reason though, I get it. But you [00:27:50] could, you could, you could do good in any direction, couldn’t you? You could, [00:27:55] I don’t know, feed the hungry in Africa. Just silly example. Silly example. But [00:28:00] you could. Yeah. Yeah. But the second, the commercial side of it. Yeah. And I know lots of practices [00:28:05] do do this. Yeah. And in the right location, which I think [00:28:10] Fulham is the right location for that sort of approach. Just the fact you can get bums on seats then [00:28:15] explain it properly. But, you know, the notion of it’s [00:28:20] difficult to do both well. Yeah. So are we saying that if you [00:28:25] had to pick. Are you giving private treatment to these NHS patients, or are you giving [00:28:30] NHS patient treatment to the private? You know what I mean? Like it’s difficult to do both. Exactly [00:28:35] right.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: I think again, it’s always a balance to strike. Right. And there’s business realities to all of this too. [00:28:40] Yeah. Um, again, we believe in treating everyone equally in terms of [00:28:45] the dignity of the level of care that they deserve, whether they come in as an NHS patient solely for [00:28:50] NHS care, as an exempt patient or otherwise. Our job is to help make sure [00:28:55] that their oral health is well looked after, and we take that very seriously. Are there business realities [00:29:00] of what we can and can’t offer on the NHS based on what the contract is? Absolutely. That’s [00:29:05] true. And I think it’s again, we could get into what I think the future of NHS [00:29:10] dentistry might look like. And I think, uh, does it make sense to offer kind of full fee [00:29:15] paying patients a fixed price for for check-ups in this banded structure, [00:29:20] I’m not sure. I think the NHS money would be more effective and go a longer way if we. If we [00:29:25] kind of focussed on NHS funding for exempt patients, whether those are children or [00:29:30] people who really have a financial need, I frankly think that would probably be a better way to allocate [00:29:35] care to people who need it most, and then allow the free market to dictate for things [00:29:40] like check-ups and hygiene care and fillings. Like if you said, hey, there’s no more NHS care [00:29:45] for, um, folks who are fee paying who don’t have an exemption. What I think [00:29:50] you would see is a much more competitive environment. And some of frankly the [00:29:55] there’s cross-subsidization subsidisation right. No practice can certainly [00:30:00] not in London can afford to be a purely NHS practice. You have to offer private. And the private goes [00:30:05] to help subsidise that NHS care that’s delivered at a loss. But again, it is [00:30:10] a tough balance to strike. One thing that.

[BOTH]: We’re looking at.

Payman Langroudi: I just want to drill a bit deeper into it as a business.

[BOTH]: Go for it. [00:30:15]

Payman Langroudi: Just be a.

[BOTH]: Businessman.

Payman Langroudi: Now. Yeah. You’ve got this number of chairs.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: That [00:30:20] the capacity of those chairs for private dentistry. [00:30:25] You could have said, I’m going to grow the private side.

Grant Goodstein: We’d probably have made more money if we came in in [00:30:30] week one and said, and there are folks who take this model and said, we’re going fully private, either sign [00:30:35] up for practice plan or den plan or something like that.

[BOTH]: Again, it’s.

Grant Goodstein: A little different for [00:30:40] us because we live in this neighbourhood. These are our neighbours. These aren’t.

[BOTH]: Numbers.

Payman Langroudi: The private patients [00:30:45] would have been your neighbours too.

Grant Goodstein: But what I’m telling you is there’s people who’ve been coming to this practice for 20 plus years.

Payman Langroudi: You didn’t [00:30:50] want that bad, will.

Grant Goodstein: Yeah, not not only bad Will. We just didn’t feel good about doing that. And we don’t feel [00:30:55] good about doing that again. Um, we can’t treat everyone. That’s a reality. But people are [00:31:00] used to getting care on a certain basis in their in their neighbourhood, and we are their neighbours. It [00:31:05] didn’t feel like the right thing to do. And again, over the long term, we hope to be able to remain committed [00:31:10] to the NHS and we anticipate. But we can’t make promises forever because we don’t know how the contract [00:31:15] and the model will change with the years, but for right now, we don’t feel good about changing [00:31:20] too much, too fast for our community, and we want to be able to again. It’s [00:31:25] different when you’re some some guy sitting in an office and, uh, on, on, uh, [00:31:30] in the city or whatever it might be. We see our patients every day and they’re our community members. [00:31:35]

Payman Langroudi: And we understand, like, I live three minutes from the practice. Yeah. I [00:31:40] want a private orthodontist specialist to treat my child. Have [00:31:45] you got one?

Grant Goodstein: Uh, we don’t have an orthodontic specialist, but.

Payman Langroudi: I want one. Yeah. So [00:31:50] now now I’m having to go find one. Yeah. So you’re not serving me? Yeah. I live [00:31:55] three minutes up the road and you’re not serving me. Yeah, I’m not saying, you know, I’m not saying you have to do one thing or the other. [00:32:00]

[BOTH]: You can’t.

Grant Goodstein: Serve everyone. That’s. That’s the truth. And what we look for in that scenario is who are our great partners? [00:32:05] For example, a couple of the things that you mentioned, we start thinking, what are we not offering here that we can’t offer [00:32:10] here? Two of the things that we again fixed right away. We now have a dentist with a special interest [00:32:15] in implants, and we have an oral surgeon to do that one. Before there was not.

[BOTH]: That.

Grant Goodstein: Before. So those are two new [00:32:20] things. We’ve also significantly expanded our focus on orthodontics through Invisalign. [00:32:25] Leah’s gone from doing about 20 cases a year to closer to 100 cases a.

[BOTH]: Year.

Grant Goodstein: With Invisalign [00:32:30] also. Again, how do we build stronger?

[BOTH]: How did you manage that?

Grant Goodstein: I mean, my wife is just [00:32:35] extraordinarily talented at her job.

[BOTH]: No, no, no.

Payman Langroudi: But how did you manage? She was doing 20. Yeah. And [00:32:40] then how did you find the other 80 patients to, um.

Grant Goodstein: Through effort and through delivering [00:32:45] an amazing experience. And I think we can get more into that is when people like you and you [00:32:50] educate people properly and you get to know them and you ask them questions. She’s the furthest [00:32:55] person in our practice is the furthest practice where you feel sold to, and that’s the last thing that we ever [00:33:00] want. But when a patient comes in, I mean, this is a story that happens on a weekly basis. [00:33:05] Patient comes in. She’s in her late 20s, early 30s Engagement [00:33:10] ring on her finger. Oh my God. Samantha. Congratulations. [00:33:15] I noticed the ring. You’re engaged. So exciting. Yeah, I’m getting [00:33:20] married. We’re going to get married in 2027. It’s really fun. Amazing. [00:33:25] Anything with with your wedding? Have you started planning the wedding yet? We’re going to go get married. Doing a destination [00:33:30] wedding in France. This, that and the other. Amazing. Anything that we can do to help [00:33:35] get you ready for those wedding photos. You know what? I’ve been up. I don’t [00:33:40] really like how my teeth look. They’re a bit yellow. Amazing. Is that something you want to get ready for [00:33:45] your wedding? Let’s talk about enlighten. Like those are the kinds of conversations that we like to have. When [00:33:50] you get to know people and that happens front of house at reception, it happens in surgeries. [00:33:55] When you take genuine interest in people’s lives and build a connection, you will be shocked [00:34:00] what you learn and the more you learn, the better you can serve your patients. [00:34:05]

[BOTH]: So yeah.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, genuine interest in the patient’s life. Really, that is a key, [00:34:10] key thing.

Grant Goodstein: And it can’t be fake. You can’t.

[BOTH]: Coach.

Grant Goodstein: People to be like, oh, Joe, I see in your notes [00:34:15] here, like.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: It has to be genuine. And that’s one of the ways we screen. Again, we brought in a [00:34:20] lovely new practice manager. Again, I was telling you earlier from a previous guest on your practice, Claire Nightingale [00:34:25] talking about specialist orthodontic practices.

[BOTH]: Actually, my London.

Payman Langroudi: My daughter went to Claire [00:34:30] Nightingale.

[BOTH]: And again.

Grant Goodstein: That’s the other thing from us. Our answer to you is always what’s [00:34:35] best for you, not best for us. So we just closed for two weeks for a refurb. A patient [00:34:40] is in pain. They need a tooth extracted. We don’t say, hey, wait for us until we’re back and we’ll do it. We’ll [00:34:45] say, this sounds bad. How about we refer you to our friends at Fulham Road Dental and you get that taken [00:34:50] care of this week. Someone comes in with a pretty complex orthodontic case. It’s not like, let me try [00:34:55] to figure it out. It’s, you know, this is complex. You should really would benefit from a specialist here. Let’s refer [00:35:00] you over to our friend Claire at at Queensgate. Like that is our model when you look after [00:35:05] the patients again, my thing that I talked to every clinician about when I interviewed them is [00:35:10] our ethos is what you recommend for every patient should be the same [00:35:15] advice that you would offer to your parent, your sibling, your child, [00:35:20] your niece or nephew. That’s the standard of care that we expect to deliver. [00:35:25]

Payman Langroudi: So there’s a professor called Martin Kelleher and he talks about it’s called [00:35:30] the daughter test. Is that would you treat this patient the same way as you treat your daughter? It’s like an ethical [00:35:35] test. Yeah.

[BOTH]: No, we.

Grant Goodstein: Believe really firmly. And then we ask our clinicians, [00:35:40] when you sign up here, you use you sign up to take [00:35:45] that question and keep that in your mind with every patient. This is this is not about selling the most [00:35:50] treatment. There’s just out there who describe oh, I’ve just bagged a case. I’ve [00:35:55] heard some things like that. That’s that’s not the way that we look at our business. We look at our business as [00:36:00] delivering exceptional care. And when I say care, that’s not just the care that we apply [00:36:05] to your teeth is the care that we deliver to the individual person.

Payman Langroudi: Can I rewind to when you [00:36:10] were looking to buy? Did you look at other practices?

Grant Goodstein: Oh yeah. We knew that this was [00:36:15] something both of us come from entrepreneurial families. Both of us had fathers that had their own [00:36:20] small businesses. So it’s in some ways probably in our in our blood for both of us. And [00:36:25] we knew if you’re an ambitious person, this was probably going to be the next step. I had kind of grown a little bit [00:36:30] tired of my career in tech, and I had something that Leah and I actually probably from our third or fourth date, we talked [00:36:35] about doing this together at some point. Um, so we wanted to [00:36:40] do it. And the obvious answer was we wanted to buy where Leah was and Fulham [00:36:45] perfect smile, but that was never going to be likely, right? How often do corporate sell an individual [00:36:50] um, practice. So we started looking, we went to on the BDA course how to [00:36:55] buy a practice with both of us. We signed up with Henry Schein, we signed up with Dental elite, we signed up [00:37:00] with, um, Frank Taylor. Frank Taylor we were on all the lists and we start to look [00:37:05] at practices and we started looking. We put in a couple offers. We met some lovely people. [00:37:10] By the way, who are still in touch with the practice owners who were selling their practices.

[BOTH]: Do you feel.

Payman Langroudi: Confident looking at the [00:37:15] books or did she or did you have an outsider?

Grant Goodstein: So I.

[BOTH]: Yes. [00:37:20]

Grant Goodstein: I felt.

[BOTH]: Confident.

Payman Langroudi: It’s a bit complicated, isn’t it? When you don’t know the sector.

Grant Goodstein: I’m a student [00:37:25] of business and I. Something that I like particularly love is business, and I’m someone [00:37:30] who’s read every one of Warren Buffett’s, let’s call it 70 annual shareholder letters to Berkshire [00:37:35] Hathaway shareholders. And I have an economics background. So there.

[BOTH]: Are certainly.

Payman Langroudi: For you. Not too.

[BOTH]: Bad.

Grant Goodstein: There were questions [00:37:40] that I had, and there were things that I had to learn and.

[BOTH]: Learn in the.

Grant Goodstein: Business. And one of the things that you [00:37:45] learn very quickly is the numbers that they give you in all these marketing pamphlets are actually worthless, and [00:37:50] you have to build your own assumptions because everyone’s going to tell you, oh, we spend nothing on this, nothing on this £0 [00:37:55] on marketing, £0 on recruiting, £0 on. And those numbers just aren’t true. So kind [00:38:00] of the formula that I learned to, Hope to understand better is what [00:38:05] is their revenue from the NHS? What is their revenue from private and what is their revenue from hygiene? [00:38:10] Those were the only three numbers that I was interested in. And what is the staff, the employed staff making? [00:38:15] Um, if I had that information, I would do my own math about what the actual profile [00:38:20] of this business was going to be. I again had crazy Google Docs, Excel spreadsheets, [00:38:25] all that kind of stuff. So for me, that was an area where I got very interested and it was [00:38:30] helpful to get all these brochures, run the numbers. I ran the numbers for 25 practices [00:38:35] before we put in our first offer, and probably 50 before we actually, um, [00:38:40] bought the practice. So we were thinking.

[BOTH]: Again, looked.

Payman Langroudi: At 50 different practices.

Grant Goodstein: Oh, we didn’t look at it. We got [00:38:45] the.

[BOTH]: Request.

Grant Goodstein: The brochure for every practice and they give you the turnover for the past three years, [00:38:50] some of those breakdowns. But we actually visited 4 or 5 practices. It wasn’t a huge number. And [00:38:55] we put in an offer on on three of those practices.

Payman Langroudi: And the ones that you looked at, what you [00:39:00] put it off. But you weren’t the best offer someone else.

[BOTH]: Um, a couple of them.

Grant Goodstein: We were the best offer. [00:39:05] And, uh, we ultimately to tell a little bit of a funny story [00:39:10] is when we did go to Chirag, the owner of Perfect Smile, and say, hey, we [00:39:15] don’t really want to buy a practice and we’d love for it to be full of Munster Road. And he [00:39:20] said, no, I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t sell them. It’s okay. It’s just we want to be transparent with [00:39:25] you that this is our plan. So okay, come back. Starting to [00:39:30] put in some offers on practices. Nothing’s accepted yet. I just want to check in again. Would you be interested [00:39:35] in selling? And you know, Chirag is a really funny guy. No. Absolutely not. [00:39:40] Call back the next day. Okay. I’ll give you a percentage if you want to [00:39:45] buy it to be my partner in the business said, um, I think [00:39:50] I think that’s not for us. I think we want to be able to really go in and execute our plan. And then we said, okay, we have [00:39:55] we have a number, we have an offer that’s accepted. So, um, Leia had built [00:40:00] to a point where she was representative of the majority of the turnover for the practice, I think he he saw [00:40:05] that, look, I don’t want to start over at Munster Road. And he ultimately said, okay, let’s [00:40:10] let’s do a deal. And he, uh, after a little bit of back and forth. Agreed. And again, he’s been really, [00:40:15] really kind. Even we had our autoclave go down one day and I gave him a call. I said, can we, can we [00:40:20] hop by a new King’s Road and do it? And he’s just been an absolute class act and, and [00:40:25] helping us. And he again, this was his. He describes it as his baby. This was where he started his.

[BOTH]: Business, [00:40:30] his original.

Payman Langroudi: Practice.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: Quite an empire. Yeah. Um, 20, 20 plus years ago. So he’s been, [00:40:35] he says, look, I want you guys to really be successful. And again, it works both ways, right? We [00:40:40] can refer patients back to the perfect smile practices. Almost all of our children get referred [00:40:45] over to their, their orthodontic, uh, practice in Putney. So it’s been, uh, [00:40:50] it was, it was a journey to get there. But we’re just so thrilled because some of these practices would have involved us, [00:40:55] involved us moving, including potentially out of London. And this is really somewhere that we again, we [00:41:00] got to we got to. Keep the relationships that she’s so treasured with her patients that she’d gotten to know over the [00:41:05] last years. And for us, we absolutely love. I mean, you know how great it is to live in West London and live in [00:41:10] in Fulham. So we’re so thrilled to be able to continue to do that.

Payman Langroudi: Okay. So [00:41:15] now going forward.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: What changes are you making as far as patient journey? [00:41:20]

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: So the obvious, the building works and you showed me and it’s beautiful. So [00:41:25] the waiting room is going to be a lot nicer than it was.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: So I think it’s again, [00:41:30] starting with, um, what’s the experience that we want to deliver to patients? Um, a special area [00:41:35] of interest for Leah is treating nervous patients, patients who have dental anxiety. I didn’t [00:41:40] realise this. I am not someone who’s personally anxious about going to the dentist. [00:41:45] Um, I, uh, 50%, a whole 50% of the population is [00:41:50] anxious about going to the dentist. Half. And of that, 10% of the population is [00:41:55] so anxious about going to the dentist that they just flat out don’t go.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: Yeah, yeah, it’s phobic to where [00:42:00] I will not get anywhere near the deadlines. Dentists always will know, obviously, what I’m talking about. [00:42:05] It’s really about the only profession that is a pro would be considered appropriate to tell that person that you hate [00:42:10] them when you walk into the dentist. Oh, I hate the dentist. Like, no, you would never go into [00:42:15] a bakery and you say, oh my God, I hate the baker. Like it doesn’t happen in any other profession in the world that [00:42:20] I’m aware of. But we know that this is true. And we like to think about why and how can we help. So, [00:42:25] um, firstly being welcomed really warmly when you come in, we greet everyone [00:42:30] by name. We say, hey Payman, how are you doing today? Welcome into pearly whites. Uh, [00:42:35] can I just confirm you’re here for your 3 p.m. appointment with the hygienist? That’s great. [00:42:40] We’ve got some fun music going every day. Again, the little things really set the tone in our opinion. So [00:42:45] we’ve got, you know, the fun playlists, Spotify playlist. If anyone’s looking for it, it’s called classics that everyone [00:42:50] knows. So it’s the kind of patience that kind of get people’s.

[BOTH]: Name of it.

Grant Goodstein: Yeah.

[BOTH]: Classic. It’s not [00:42:55] our.

Grant Goodstein: Individual. It’s a playlist from Spotify classics that everyone knows. Good for [00:43:00] kids, good for older patients. Everyone. And then we think about, okay, what’s what? Don’t what [00:43:05] is it that people don’t like about coming to the dentist? There’s actually one thing about coming into a dental office. I [00:43:10] really historically, like didn’t like I don’t enjoy getting my teeth cleaned. I find it kind [00:43:15] of quite barbaric the traditional way, even if it’s with a hand scaler or an ultrasonic. I [00:43:20] had an injury to my front teeth growing up. So what that means is I have quite a bit of sensitivity. So that [00:43:25] cold water, when that hits my teeth, is like, oh my God, it’s extremely uncomfortable for me. I [00:43:30] hate the scratching. I get some build up around my gum line. It’s just not a nice [00:43:35] experience at all. And I think there has to be a better way. So I go out and start doing my research. Is there [00:43:40] a better way to clean your teeth? It actually turns out, yes, the better way to clean your.

[BOTH]: Teeth.

Grant Goodstein: Has GPT [00:43:45] that’s been invented? Why hasn’t every practice invested in GPT? Because the damn [00:43:50] machine costs £14,000. But we said we are very much in again. This is something that’s [00:43:55] been a big difference for me, learning about life in the UK versus life in the US. Investment [00:44:00] and risk and growth is very much encouraged in the US in a way that I think it’s not [00:44:05] here. I think a lot of practice owners are really, really, really afraid to take that leap [00:44:10] to say, okay, I’m going to spend £14,000. We’ve never offered this before. I have [00:44:15] no idea if anyone’s going to sign up for it. Are we really going to spend £14,000 on a [00:44:20] on a GB t machine from EMS? And by the way, the powder is like £100 for every [00:44:25] bottle that you use. It’s not cheap to offer it to your patients, but my belief is we can offer [00:44:30] it to our patients. We can offer it at a premium. Our standard clean is £89. We charge 129 [00:44:35] for the GB t, so it’s a £40 upgrade. And my belief is patients are going to try [00:44:40] it and they’re going to want to go for it and they’re never going to look back.

Payman Langroudi: So it’s an option.

[BOTH]: Yes.

Grant Goodstein: So that’s what we. Again thinking [00:44:45] about how do we shake things up and not disrupt the status quo too much. We don’t want to tell patients, [00:44:50] hey, you’re cleaning was 89. Now it’s 129 and you have no say in the matter. Those [00:44:55] are the kind of things that we think. Do businesses need some sort of support and goodwill from the community? [00:45:00] And we didn’t want to do that, but we wanted to firstly hire, um, clinicians [00:45:05] that were trained and experienced in it, and secondly, give it as an option to every [00:45:10] patient. We’d educate them, we’d tell them we’ll do a great clean regardless of which option you [00:45:15] choose. But there’s some real advantages to the CBT. So we when we were hiring our hygienists, [00:45:20] we would only consider hygienists that were, uh, Swiss Dental Academy certified. That was a hard requirement [00:45:25] for us. We invested in the machine within a month, we had 75% of our patients [00:45:30] opting for those updated cleans. And again, I mentioned bringing hygiene from one days a week [00:45:35] to three day a week to four days a week. Now five and going towards six. And hygiene has become one [00:45:40] of our top like by by turnover, it accounts for a really large [00:45:45] percentage of our turnover.

Grant Goodstein: And what we found, people come out and I’d say 95% of [00:45:50] people say, oh my God, that’s life changing. I will never go again. And I cannot tell you the amount of [00:45:55] people. We had a lovely patient who came in and he came out and gave us a five star Google review in the next day, his [00:46:00] mother called up on the phone, I’m the one who is answering the phone. He said. Anthony called. [00:46:05] He says, I must come in for your tea hygiene. When you give a great [00:46:10] experience, most people are quite happy to pay if the experience matches [00:46:15] the price. So our our goal is not to be the least expensive option. [00:46:20] Our goal is to be the best option at a fair price so we don’t. We don’t want to rip [00:46:25] people off. We want to make sure there’s always value, but we’re always going to aim to provide the very best experience. [00:46:30] And that’s our philosophy. And again, when we talk about in interviews, our goal is not to be good. Our [00:46:35] goal is not to be exceptional. Our goal is to deliver the best patient experience in the country.

Payman Langroudi: So [00:46:40] it’s interesting because understand the dentists [00:46:45] who don’t buy it insomuch as a normal scalar cost £500 [00:46:50] or something.

Grant Goodstein: Like a.

[BOTH]: Thousand now.

Grant Goodstein: But yeah, it’s certainly not 15.

[BOTH]: And [00:46:55] by the way, each of.

Grant Goodstein: The hand pieces are an additional £800 on top of that. And as I mentioned, you’ve [00:47:00] got this expensive powder, it’s not cheap and you have to charge a premium.

[BOTH]: In order to.

Payman Langroudi: Get the highlights. When [00:47:05] one dentist to another, I’ve asked dentists, you know, so what’s this GPT thing? [00:47:10] And they say, oh, it’s actually just it’s a scalar that’s like warm water. Yeah. And, uh, and you [00:47:15] go, well, what’s, what’s 15 times. Where’s the 15 x in that? Yeah. It doesn’t sound like it [00:47:20] makes sense. Yeah. But number one, they’ve been genius in the marketing. [00:47:25]

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: They’re really.

[BOTH]: Good.

Payman Langroudi: Themselves to the profession. The message that if [00:47:30] if going to have your teeth cleaned is a lot more comfortable, that’s [00:47:35] worth 50 grand.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, that’s it’s such a big sign of what kind of practice [00:47:40] is it that, you know?

[BOTH]: Yeah. It’s a message you send to everyone. Every single.

Payman Langroudi: Patient goes [00:47:45] through.

[BOTH]: That. And clinicians, clinicians.

Grant Goodstein: Want to work with good equipment. My thought always is we’re not going to overpay [00:47:50] just because. But when we’re in the market for a piece of equipment, I’m going to say if we want to hire [00:47:55] an oral surgeon, the surgical motor that we have for this clinician is part of [00:48:00] the way that we communicate how seriously we take what you do. The same way about we inherited a practice [00:48:05] that was again, neighbourhood spot, been there 20 plus years. It hadn’t had that investment in [00:48:10] love that it needed. So we put a lot of money into making sure does the love [00:48:15] and care that we put into this practice, regardless of how much we put in, doesn’t matter [00:48:20] until the patient knows. So every decision we make has to be communicating [00:48:25] to our patients and to our clinicians and to our staff. We care about you [00:48:30] and we care about delivering you an amazing experience.

Payman Langroudi: Although there’s, you know, much [00:48:35] of good dentistry isn’t noticed by the patient. Yeah. You know, I mean, I guess to [00:48:40] the clinician, that’s where the communication would be.

[BOTH]: That’s why I’m saying.

Grant Goodstein: It’s difficult to show, right? Like taking [00:48:45] some extra steps. I know Leah like tells us again. For my very, uh, limited [00:48:50] Dental knowledge, she uses glumr for her. Uh, filings, which she tells me about [00:48:55] exactly for desensitising how she does that. A patient’s not obviously. Hopefully the result will be better and [00:49:00] they’ll have to come back less. But a patient doesn’t necessarily know about that extra step that we take in our [00:49:05] feelings that other practices don’t. But they do notice when they walk in and there’s new floors [00:49:10] and the bathroom is really well taken care of and all these different things. [00:49:15] So we have to do the little things and the big things, the invisible things, and it’s not one or the [00:49:20] other. It’s all of the above in my view.

Payman Langroudi: Do you find sometimes, you know, the way that [00:49:25] you’re sort of serving the community and there’s almost like a, you [00:49:30] have to be yes to everything kind of feeling.

[BOTH]: Um.

Payman Langroudi: And [00:49:35] yet there are situations where you need to say no.

[BOTH]: Yeah. I think that’s.

Payman Langroudi: Crossed that.

[BOTH]: Already. [00:49:40]

Grant Goodstein: Learning when and how to say no, um, is one of the most valuable things [00:49:45] that you can do and how you can deliver and know with care. And love [00:49:50] is also one of the most important things that we need to learn how to do. And [00:49:55] remembering that when you say no to people in our industry, which is a caring industry, particularly [00:50:00] in a, in a country where people aren’t used to paying for their health care, you [00:50:05] you have to recognise how you’re perceived. You have to recognise how you perceived. Again, one of [00:50:10] the examples that I would give of this is NHS registration, right? So we have [00:50:15] a lot of patients who are, frankly, more than we can really see on an annual basis, many of which who haven’t [00:50:20] been in, in in many years. But what that means is that it’s not easy to get an NHS appointment [00:50:25] in our practice. Even if you’re registered patient, you might wait two months, three months, four months. It’s not [00:50:30] by choice, it’s a reality of the NHS only allocates us a certain number of days, [00:50:35] right? If we. And this has happened in the practice previously, prior to our ownership, there’s been years where [00:50:40] Udas were completed in January, and you spent the last three months of the year not able to offer NHS [00:50:45] care. And we don’t feel like that’s the way we want to go about it. So we have only a certain number. [00:50:50] Certain hours between 10 and 4 in our day is reserved for NHS patients. If you want to come [00:50:55] early or late in the day, you can come on a private basis. But again, we send lots [00:51:00] of reminders to our patients. Some patients find it a little bit irritating, but we send a booking confirmation. [00:51:05] We send another reminder 72 hours in advance of their appointment.

Grant Goodstein: We have a 48 hour cancellation [00:51:10] policy. We ask that if you have to make a change to your cancellation, you let us know. So again, we send [00:51:15] the text message 72 hours before, which gives them a full 24 hours to let us know. Hey, [00:51:20] I realised I can’t come or something’s come up at work or something’s come up with child care. With that said, [00:51:25] when patients don’t show up, which happens from time to time, it does disrupt our ability [00:51:30] to deliver care. And by the way, also we’re in a business. I don’t know if many patients know this. Our [00:51:35] clinicians don’t get paid if people don’t show up. And it’s not a great way to keep clinicians happy. [00:51:40] If we have constant no shows in our diary. So we have to have policies and enforcement mechanisms [00:51:45] in place to make sure that patients aren’t able to abuse the system. Of course, life [00:51:50] happens, and it’s no problem if once every year or two years you’re, [00:51:55] um, you’re not able to make we totally slept through your appointment emergency. All [00:52:00] those things happen and we’re not going to be ridiculous, but we now have some controls in place and a process for [00:52:05] what happens the first time a patient misses an appointment. How do we communicate that to them? [00:52:10] What do we say? What happens the second time? What happens the third time? And there is now a point where patients [00:52:15] will get deregistered and they’ll lose their NHS place. And we give everyone plenty of warning. It’s not happening [00:52:20] on the first time, but being able to communicate with respect and help [00:52:25] patients understand the why not just sorry, we won’t see you anymore. Help [00:52:30] explain to them the reality and also what are the alternative options that are available [00:52:35] to them.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, there’s nothing more annoying than someone telling you it’s policy. You.

[BOTH]: Yeah, exactly. [00:52:40]

Grant Goodstein: Again, if the answer is sorry, that’s just how it works here.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:52:45]

Grant Goodstein: People don’t feel listened to.

[BOTH]: And don’t feel.

Grant Goodstein: Heard. But you can explain to them again, if like a constant [00:52:50] thing that’s happening is the decision. A patient has cancelled last minute or has [00:52:55] not showed up to their hygiene appointment. We can’t take a deposit for NHS work, but we can and do for [00:53:00] private work. Every time we have a decision to make, are we going to keep this deposit as the [00:53:05] late cancellation fee per their policy, or does it make sense to waive it? And again, we have a lot of discussions [00:53:10] as a team with our front of house staff of creating clear policy, but also creating exception [00:53:15] and escalation pathways. I want everyone in our team to have a heart [00:53:20] and be understanding, right? Like my answer is always if you’d be if you’re personally embarrassed [00:53:25] to tell this patient that they can’t have their deposit back based on what they told you, the answer should be absolutely, let’s [00:53:30] refund your deposit. The other thing that’s really important to us, and is rare and unique in the UK, [00:53:35] and as part of our USP, is the speed of which we do everything from an admin [00:53:40] perspective. In our practice, patients are shocked that when they say, hey, can’t make it, I have to cancel my appointment, I’m moving [00:53:45] out of the area. Can you refund my deposit? My aim is to have that deposit back in their bank account [00:53:50] within 60 within 100 and 20s. That’s and people are like, oh my God. Like, especially [00:53:55] in this country and especially in an industry like healthcare where people are used to waiting, people [00:54:00] are used to maybe a little bit of a grumpy receptionist not greeting you at the door. Part of the way we, we [00:54:05] set ourselves apart is by acting really fast. I think it shows the sense [00:54:10] of urgency we have in delivering great care. And a task done means we can then move [00:54:15] on to the next task of helping our patients. And that again, is for cases of, of of refund. [00:54:20] I think a great refund experience is one of the few opportunities to that makes patients [00:54:25] say, oh, these people actually do care.

[BOTH]: About doing the right thing. Yeah, you’re right.

Grant Goodstein: I’ll even say, [00:54:30] and I want to give credit to your team. Enlighten is the best in the industry that we’ve worked with in [00:54:35] terms of, of delivering a great experience to us, and that’s why we love.

[BOTH]: Nice [00:54:40] to hear with you guys.

Grant Goodstein: Boren on your team, who I email with all the time, is [00:54:45] like the sweetest, kindest person ever. We had a patient who signed up for enlightened, [00:54:50] paid for it in full, as we do when you sign up. And the next day he called up and [00:54:55] he’s like, I’m so, so sorry. I’m having buyer’s remorse. I don’t think there’s room in the budget for this. And I immediately [00:55:00] I said, let me see what I can do. Let me get right back to you. Reach out to Laura. And she’s like, yep, that’s been cancelled. Fully refunded. Don’t worry. [00:55:05] Voucher vouchers back in your account. Like that’s totally.

[BOTH]: Aligned. That’s how we want [00:55:10] to do things and.

Grant Goodstein: How the enlightened team does things. And again, those are the opportunities. When things [00:55:15] don’t go perfect or.

[BOTH]: Things come.

Grant Goodstein: Up, those are the opportunities to really show you care and that you’re [00:55:20] different.

Payman Langroudi: For sure. So I noticed you’re changing your practice management software.

[BOTH]: Yeah. [00:55:25]

Payman Langroudi: Why? So that you can access from the cloud.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: So we are [00:55:30] going to do things a bit differently than the traditional UK Dental practice. One thing is, again, I [00:55:35] come from the world of tech, and I’ve been a little bit surprised in learning about these practices, how so [00:55:40] many practices are still server based. I think so is still the leading, uh, software [00:55:45] on the market. R4 is what we inherited, um, in our practice, uh, making [00:55:50] sure we had the right tech to do, to operate the way we wanted was really, [00:55:55] really important from day one. And it was an area where I had expertise. So that goes down to every small [00:56:00] detail. So we replaced everything down to the internet connection coming into our practice, replaced it with gigabit [00:56:05] fibre. Uh, we replaced the phone system with the modern VoIP phone system [00:56:10] that could be accessed both in person and remotely, and made it easy for us to return missed calls [00:56:15] and answer voicemails and track. We have AI phone systems now that make it so that we get transcripts, [00:56:20] recording, and feedback on every single call that we take. We created. We don’t get great [00:56:25] cell service for whatever reason in our specific practice. So we put in Wi-Fi that had a guest Wi-Fi [00:56:30] network and works. I literally went sat on the toilet in our loo and made sure that the signal [00:56:35] strength was strong enough in there.

Grant Goodstein: It wasn’t. We added a second point to our mesh network so [00:56:40] that if someone’s on the loo and they want to scroll through Instagram on their phone, they’re able to do that. Like that’s [00:56:45] the level of attention to detail that we’ve paid in the decisions that we’ve made in [00:56:50] delivering a great patient experience. One of the ways we feel that we could deliver an amazing patient [00:56:55] experience is by being able to offer more resources and have more members [00:57:00] of our team than other comparable practices of, of a given size. There’s [00:57:05] some realities, and we may want to get into the realities of operating in the UK today. It’s [00:57:10] really hard to hire quality people in the dental industry at [00:57:15] a fair competitive wage. The business model does not work [00:57:20] that we can have ten folks in our office that are dedicated to helping people. So we’ve made [00:57:25] two decisions. One is we’re going to find the very best people to sit in our offices, and we’re going to pay those [00:57:30] folks a living wage. We are the only NHS dental practice in London that is Living [00:57:35] Wage Foundation accredited. We don’t pay the minimum wage, we don’t pay the national Living wage. We [00:57:40] actually pay the London Living Wage.

[BOTH]: Which is how much.

Grant Goodstein: Rate it’s just went from 13.85 to [00:57:45] £14. 80 is the new wage. So it’s about a good £3 above the minimum wage. And [00:57:50] again that’s our minimum. That’s what we pay. For example, a trainee nurse. We have members of our staff who make [00:57:55] significantly more than that. The other thing is, okay, it’s going to be [00:58:00] really hard to hire folks in the UK in our office. And by the way, we’re in, as you described it, a [00:58:05] neighbourhood storefront. We don’t have a manager’s office or anything like that, a lot of space. So one of the things [00:58:10] that we’re going to do is start hiring remote folks to join our team. So looking internationally as well, we’re [00:58:15] actually in the process right now of hiring someone in South Africa to join our team as a patient services [00:58:20] coordinator. But if you want to have someone that’s going to help us answer the phones, help us respond to patient [00:58:25] emails, help us book and manage appointments, that person cannot do that if they have [00:58:30] server. If you have server based software and a traditional landline, you need to have [00:58:35] VoIP systems and you have to have everything in the cloud as far as your PM’s. So we [00:58:40] were again, I don’t know what policy is for the podcast about talking about specific vendors.

[BOTH]: It’s cool.

Grant Goodstein: To [00:58:45] talk.

[BOTH]: About.

Payman Langroudi: So you went with K stack?

[BOTH]: Yeah, we went.

Grant Goodstein: With Care.

[BOTH]: Stack.

Payman Langroudi: Did you look at Dental as well?

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: I’m going [00:58:50] to be slightly controversial on the podcast and that I really, really, really don’t like Henry Schein personally. [00:58:55] I’ve had a number of experiences in dealing with them and their team that made me feel like they [00:59:00] are not very customer centric, and that they are in the business of extracting maximum profit rather [00:59:05] than, uh, rather than delivering a great experience. Which led me to write straight [00:59:10] into the arms of Care stack. The timing was really great. We particularly enjoyed connecting with Adrian [00:59:15] Dre, who I’m not sure if you’ve had him on the podcast.

[BOTH]: Before.

Grant Goodstein: But a great, great guy and a great character [00:59:20] and we just got the sense that they were one, they were not in the market position that Dental was [00:59:25] or new in the UK, but we had the we had the perception that they cared a lot more [00:59:30] and that they were building a lot faster. When we talked to Dental, we didn’t hear a lot of exciting plans [00:59:35] that they had for the future. Whereas when we talked to care, we got this huge roadmap of [00:59:40] all the innovations they were set to make and improvements that were set to make. And we’re seeing a lot of those come to [00:59:45] come to fruition already that have been really helpful. Yeah. So we have voice tech and care stack.

Payman Langroudi: Explain voice stack [00:59:50] for someone who doesn’t.

Grant Goodstein: Yeah. So voice stack is a VoIP phone system. So that means basically, even though you have a traditional [00:59:55] landline number, it’s actually connected via Ethernet or Wi-Fi through a, through what they call a VoIP [01:00:00] and IP phone. And we’re able to take our calls both from a traditional handset. [01:00:05] But I can also answer calls from a computer. So I’ll give you an example. We did a little refurb [01:00:10] we had to shut for two weeks for the first phase of the refurb of the practice. In November, we went [01:00:15] back to the States to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family. We were able to set a voice message that let all our patients [01:00:20] know, hey, we’re currently closed. Feel free to email us or leave voice messages for emergencies. [01:00:25] And every morning I’m setting my alarm for 6 a.m. in Los Angeles for eight hours, behind waking [01:00:30] up and answering all our voicemails and missed calls for the day, as well as our emails again. Those are the things [01:00:35] that I think folks aren’t probably used to in the UK, that a practice is shut. It’s a weekend. It’s a Sunday [01:00:40] where we’re very much all in on doing everything to go above and beyond for our patients. [01:00:45]

Payman Langroudi: So listen, there are lots of practices that do all of this stuff. Yeah there are. They [01:00:50] tend to be more fully private.

Grant Goodstein: I was going to say I don’t think.

Grant Goodstein: Neighbourhood or like maybe if you’re [01:00:55] if you’re talking about on Harley Street or those.

Payman Langroudi: In every town in every town there are, although they’re [01:01:00] still not the majority by any means. Yeah, maybe, maybe I’m seeing the one the enlightened users enlightened a high end product. [01:01:05]

Grant Goodstein: I think that’s probably the case.

Payman Langroudi: There is that there is that. Yeah. But you don’t see it with with mixed [01:01:10] practices very much. Yeah. So there’s a difference. But my, my feeling is that, [01:01:15] you know, you’re going to be successful enough that you’re going to regret the NHS piece. [01:01:20] And maybe at that point, you’ll have to think about phasing it out because you’re going to just the [01:01:25] the real estate would be better used privately.

Grant Goodstein: It’s possible.

Payman Langroudi: Than NHS. That’s my hunch. [01:01:30] That’s what’s gonna happen in the next five years. Let’s say.

Grant Goodstein: That’s possible.

Payman Langroudi: For you guys. But the the [01:01:35] the enthusiasm you’ve got is exciting. Yeah. You know that that I [01:01:40] hope it keeps on going, man, because, you know, you’re young and it’s it’s when you’re young, it’s [01:01:45] being enthusiastic. It’s a big.

Grant Goodstein: Thing. I think it’s.

Grant Goodstein: Who I am, to be honest. And I think it’s, I think it’s something that [01:01:50] I really value in my amazing wife, Leah as well were the kind of people that we’re both like [01:01:55] very traditional extroverts, and we get our energy from being from around other people. And we both [01:02:00] describe ourselves as question masters. And this is just as in our work life.

Grant Goodstein: Yes, we ask.

Grant Goodstein: A [01:02:05] million.

Grant Goodstein: Questions when.

Grant Goodstein: We’re out to dinner with friends. Like sometimes like we’re like, [01:02:10] oh my God, how was your holiday to Oman? I can’t believe you were there. Those pictures look so great. What’s going on with your family? [01:02:15] How are you? Like, we’re the kind of people who just love to learn about other people and hear what’s going on in their [01:02:20] life. So I think when you have that genuine enthusiasm and curiosity for [01:02:25] day to day life. Not even anything crazy. But just like when patient comes in, it’s not about, [01:02:30] hey, do you have an appointment? Can I get you booked in? It’s like, Happy Christmas. [01:02:35] Where are you going to be for like, it’s having those genuine conversations. And again, [01:02:40] we’re not everyone is wired this way, but Lee and I both love having those conversations with anyone. [01:02:45]

Payman Langroudi: And are you sitting at a desk every day?

Grant Goodstein: Yeah, right now, almost every day. I’d say four and a half [01:02:50] days a week now. When we bought the practice, as I mentioned, there was a lot of turnover in the team. So [01:02:55] the practice actually couldn’t be open without me behind the desk. Um, because no one else [01:03:00] knew how to take the payments, essentially because the entirety of the kind of front [01:03:05] of house team decided that they didn’t want to remain with the practice at the time that we took over. [01:03:10] So, um, yeah, I’m still behind the desk and I think that’s also one of the most underlooked functions, the [01:03:15] front of house function and reception. I cannot tell you the amount of difference in terms of turnover [01:03:20] to the practice and patient experience that having someone who is a conversation starter [01:03:25] rather than a question answerer has. And that’s the number one piece of training that I do [01:03:30] with my. And I’m a very big believer in. In sales, we call them [01:03:35] mocks or role plays, but simulating conversations and practising the conversations that [01:03:40] you’re going to have before you actually have them.

Payman Langroudi: As an example.

Grant Goodstein: Yeah. So if a patient comes in and says, [01:03:45] are you accepting any new NHS patients?

Payman Langroudi: The answer is, [01:03:50] yeah, no, unfortunately we’re not. Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: So um, most people [01:03:55] would say no, sorry. Have a great day. Yeah. The answer for us is um, [01:04:00] hey, by the way, welcome in. What’s your name? What’s the person’s name first before you start the the [01:04:05] the the conversation. Okay. Are you are you new to the area? Most of [01:04:10] the time when people walk into a dental practice for the first time and ask about a new patient, they’re likely have [01:04:15] moved into the area. There could be another answer, but okay. Oh, where’d you move from? Start [01:04:20] a conversation. So as far as taking on new patients, we have a few remaining [01:04:25] spaces for children on the NHS, which we do. Unfortunately, due to capacity reasons, we are [01:04:30] full on the NHS. I’m curious, do you have something in mind? Is like are you wanting to go to the dentist [01:04:35] for a specific reason or are you just just wanting a general check-up? Is there a particular treatment [01:04:40] or pain that you’re having? You know, I want a general dentist, [01:04:45] but I’ve also, I don’t like the colour of my teeth. I don’t like or I have a lot of pain in my back tooth and [01:04:50] my wisdom tooth, I. The last. Dennis said I should really get it extracted. I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. [01:04:55] Okay, so okay, tell me, when did you last see a dentist? Okay.

Payman Langroudi: So [01:05:00] a relationship is built already with.

Grant Goodstein: I hear what you’re saying. We don’t have an NHS appointment. [01:05:05] The truth is what you’ll save in being an NHS patient for some private patient. Nhs [01:05:10] Check-up at £27 for a private Check-up £75 here. And we [01:05:15] like the idea of being transparent and having an inclusive pricing model. Lots of practices. You go in to [01:05:20] check ups cheap, but they’re going to add on lots of things. X-rays are included in our prices for our check-ups. We’re not [01:05:25] going to charge you extra for an X-ray. So what you’re actually looking at is an additional 50, let’s [01:05:30] call it £48 twice a year. If cost is the actual absolute most priority. [01:05:35] You might be best going for the NHS, but if you’re looking for a great experience, I know that [01:05:40] we could help you and it’s frankly not going to be. If you’re telling me you’re looking for private treatments that are private and [01:05:45] not available on the NHS. Anyways, frankly, you’re not going to see much of a price difference here, so I’ll leave the decision to [01:05:50] you if you if you’d like us to get you booked in and we can get you started for a whitening consultation [01:05:55] or a consultation with our oral surgeon, I’d be happy to do that. If not, I’d be very [01:06:00] happy to recommend. There’s not any directly in Fulham, but there are some practices throughout West and southwest London [01:06:05] that I’d be happy to let you know are taking on new patients on an NHS basis. So again, [01:06:10] educating, learning, educating and giving a patient a dignified [01:06:15] choice.

Payman Langroudi: This sort of script comes very naturally to you because in the US it’s [01:06:20] so much of that. Yeah. Do you find this resistance like your difficulty in getting that over to [01:06:25] a UK person?

[TRANSITION]: A bit, a bit. It could be a.

Grant Goodstein: Little bit more challenging. I think any time you’re trying to [01:06:30] roll things out it’s always training is the um is the hassle. One thing we screen [01:06:35] for is people who are eager to learn. So we never expect anyone on day one [01:06:40] to be perfect. Um, again, we have a great new practice manager with experience in the industry who we hired [01:06:45] him not because he’s not good at the compliance and organisational things, but we really hired him for his [01:06:50] presence and caring nature more than we did for maybe the typical things that people look at a practice [01:06:55] manager for. We’re also training up on cross training. We want to eventually cross train all of our nurses. [01:07:00] We’re cross training one of our nurses on reception right now, so it’s been fun. We’ve both had chances to work with him on [01:07:05] reception and train him. And one of the things you have to do is you have to invest time and energy in creating the resources, [01:07:10] right? We can’t expect, especially as we think about we want to grow this business and be a bigger business [01:07:15] someday. I can’t do it all, and in our practice manager can’t even do now. We have [01:07:20] multiple page guides that I’ve developed on. Here’s how you. Well, [01:07:25] my best, my best friend in doing this is AI. I would love [01:07:30] if more folks in the Dental industry thought about learning to apply AI. [01:07:35] I am come from the tech world so everyone knows and uses ChatGPT and Gemini [01:07:40] and perplexity.

Grant Goodstein: I’m shocked when I realise in most kind of folks who aren’t in that [01:07:45] industry how new it is to most people. So it’s unbelievable what you can do with [01:07:50] a couple of thought starters and things that you want to do. Ai can deliver this incredible product. It’s not [01:07:55] 100% of the way there, but you can get from 0% to 80% or from that first 2% [01:08:00] to 80% in about five minutes. And then you can spend time refining the [01:08:05] rest. So we have a guide of this is how we triage emergency appointments. This is how we take deposits. [01:08:10] This is how we again, all the common situations that we experience. And again, there’s still much [01:08:15] more to do. Um, we certainly don’t have it all figured out, but we’ve thought about how [01:08:20] do we document and make these processes repeatable and have a little leaflet that can sit in front of our reception [01:08:25] team, especially as they’re getting started and getting trained. And the other thing I’m trying to really get into [01:08:30] our team’s mind is it’s always okay to say, I don’t know the answer. Let me get back to you and [01:08:35] check with someone who knows people. It’s really refreshing to people. Actually, people are afraid like, oh my God, [01:08:40] this person will judge me because I don’t know the answer.

Payman Langroudi: I’d much rather hear. I don’t know than someone making it up.

Grant Goodstein: Exactly. [01:08:45]

Payman Langroudi: And that comes across generally when someone doesn’t really know the answer to that question. [01:08:50] Um, I’m interested in the sports kind of analogy, insomuch as, I [01:08:55] don’t know, we start a company and you try and you try and make it fun and, and then [01:09:00] sort of almost, almost the highest level of sort of, uh, working [01:09:05] out for me was like, oh, we feel like one big family here. And, and, but then [01:09:10] you realise as you go that it’s not really a family. It’s not, you know, like [01:09:15] the very nature of a family is that you can’t expel people from a family.

Grant Goodstein: So are you a [01:09:20] are you a have you. You sound like someone who’s read the Netflix culture deck or the No.

[BOTH]: Rules rules book.

Payman Langroudi: I’ve [01:09:25] actually I’ve actually read a summary of the Netflix.

[BOTH]: Okay.

Payman Langroudi: It didn’t come from there. It didn’t come from [01:09:30] there. I actually, I was talking to, um, from, uh, Pearl, Pearl [01:09:35] AI, you know, the one that.

Grant Goodstein: I’ve heard good things about them.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. And, and, uh, it’s [01:09:40] a general thing, isn’t it, that to treat your business like a pro sports team, the right [01:09:45] person, the right job and the team being the ultimate thing. And do [01:09:50] you do you have that? Like, I mean, you said this, this coach really inspired you. Yeah. But [01:09:55] sports analogies that do cross over into work.

[BOTH]: Yeah I agree.

Grant Goodstein: We’re [01:10:00] we’re a high performing team. And what that means exactly as you said, you know, say, grandpa, [01:10:05] you’re pissing me off today. So you’re out of the family. I mean, some people might do [01:10:10] that stuff, but I’m not from a family where that happens, but um, yeah, it’s, there’s [01:10:15] standards on our team. And again, it’s not appropriate to go into details, but there have been not, not many, [01:10:20] but there have been folks since our in our journey who have not met those standards and are no longer part [01:10:25] of our team. Um, so we enforce and uphold those standards every day. And there is, [01:10:30] again, we are lucky to have our team, but we are building an environment where people should also, [01:10:35] we believe, feel lucky to be a part of something that’s special. Again, we don’t have a [01:10:40] sense of entitlement around that and it goes through our actions that we do every day. But when you [01:10:45] build something that’s special, it’s a it’s a two way street for sure.

[BOTH]: Yeah. [01:10:50]

Payman Langroudi: For sure. So you’re telling me you have had to fire people already?

[BOTH]: I have.

Payman Langroudi: That’s [01:10:55] tough man. It’s so early on.

Grant Goodstein: Not nice. It’s not nice to do, but it’s a. Again, if you remember, the [01:11:00] ultimate obligation is to.

[BOTH]: The business.

Grant Goodstein: The business, and not only the business to the patients. [01:11:05] If you have people that aren’t putting patients first or aren’t putting, uh, aren’t treating [01:11:10] other members of staff in the right way. That all comes back to creating an environment that’s that’s [01:11:15] not favourable and ideal for a patient.

[BOTH]: So yeah.

Payman Langroudi: We [01:11:20] like to talk about mistakes on this.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: So generally with the dentists it would be a clinical error. [01:11:25]

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: But with you I guess it’s going to be a different type of error. Yeah. What what what comes [01:11:30] to mind. A mistake that other people can learn from.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Grant Goodstein: Um, I think sometimes, especially as a [01:11:35] business owner, you can have moments where you’re a little bit too focussed on the business [01:11:40] and the process and less focussed on the person. Um, it’s been very few [01:11:45] and far between. Thankfully, we’re really lucky that the vast majority of patient feedback has been fabulous, but [01:11:50] we had a patient who, who came in who was not thrilled with the outcome of her appointment. [01:11:55] Not through any malintent or anything that clinically negligent, but she didn’t [01:12:00] get the experience that she deserved, and that was very readily apparent to me. It was a communication [01:12:05] issue more than anything, but the communication wasn’t ideal for this patient [01:12:10] to to give. To make a long story short, it was a patient who was told she needed [01:12:15] to come back for a second appointment with the hygienist, but it wasn’t communicated in the right [01:12:20] way. And when we went to ask her for the deposit for the next appointment, she was quite shocked [01:12:25] and my immediate instinct went to, oh, this is [01:12:30] our policy. We’d like to offer you 50% off for [01:12:35] the next appointment. And ultimately, she felt completely because my instinct wasn’t [01:12:40] to say, you’re right. It was like, well, I’m sorry this happened, but let’s [01:12:45] do this goodwill gesture to reduce the cost of your next appointment by £50. She didn’t [01:12:50] feel heard and she didn’t feel understood. And that was an enormous the patient left really unhappy. [01:12:55]

Grant Goodstein: And I really, really felt bad about it. And I really, really regretted the way that I handled [01:13:00] it. I thought about the process and not about the person. It was a person who’s going through a very difficult pregnancy. [01:13:05] She had shared with me. There was a lot of other factors going on, and I should have just set [01:13:10] money aside and did the right thing, which was offer her in a complimentary [01:13:15] appointment for the day and a complimentary appointment for the next time. So but anyway, what [01:13:20] I did learn was it’s not never too late to make things right. And I thought about it that evening and [01:13:25] Leah and I had a conversation about it, and I sent her a follow up email and gave her a phone call the next [01:13:30] day. And I said, I’ve given more thought to your situation. And we were completely in the wrong with how we handled [01:13:35] this. I want to apologise to you. I understand if you don’t want to come back, but if you do, we’ve [01:13:40] refunded the charge automatically through your card already and we’d like to offer you a complimentary appointment. [01:13:45] And if you don’t mind, we have your address on file. Would it be okay if we sent you flowers to say that [01:13:50] we’re sorry? Um. And she came back. She was back the next week, and. [01:13:55]

[BOTH]: With a big.

Grant Goodstein: Smile.

[BOTH]: On her face.

Grant Goodstein: Now she’s got a child that she’s so excited to bring to [01:14:00] Leah for the child’s first up. So I would [01:14:05] encourage people to remember we’re all humans and [01:14:10] to make sure that you take care of the person first. And you always, always make sure that person feels [01:14:15] understood, because there’s no way that 100, £150 will be [01:14:20] remembered in the grand scheme of our business, but the relationship that could be created or destroyed. [01:14:25]

Payman Langroudi: And, you know, the massive opportunity that every complaint brings. Yeah, it’s [01:14:30] it’s yeah, I guess in a way you were kind of addressing that in the, in the first [01:14:35] instance.

[BOTH]: But it was.

Grant Goodstein: A half measure.

[BOTH]: It was a half measure.

Grant Goodstein: It was not taking it seriously. It’s like, [01:14:40] what’s the minute I thought in my head, what’s the minimum I could do to make this go away? Not how [01:14:45] do I actually make this right? And that was I’m glad I learned the mistake then. This was [01:14:50] early on in the first two months of our our journey, because I now have a very different philosophy [01:14:55] for how we deal with, again, we’ve been lucky enough that we haven’t had any like, like formal or GDC style complaints, [01:15:00] but there have been a couple of patients who have voiced displeasure about something or the [01:15:05] other, about their experience from one patient wasn’t happy that we didn’t have the sign for the bathroom in the clinic, or a [01:15:10] bin as readily available. Like again, some smaller and some that are bigger, like the one.

[BOTH]: That all the [01:15:15] things.

Payman Langroudi: We’ve done differently regarding the purchase, the, the, the makeover.

[BOTH]: Um. [01:15:20]

Payman Langroudi: Because I mean, if you’ve had a good experience with builders, then I really feel like.

[BOTH]: Yeah, [01:15:25] that’s different if I, if I can give a plug, um, UV.

Grant Goodstein: Who owns, uh, DeVoe [01:15:30] Interiors again, someone else you should have on your, on your podcast. Just great stand up guy. [01:15:35] Um, I think one of the things that we have had a little bit of trouble with is we’ve [01:15:40] had let stuff get away from us a bit in assuming that everyone has [01:15:45] all the context when they don’t. Um, we wound up again, we were working with a combination of the Hague [01:15:50] design team and equipment team, who’s amazing, and UV who is doing the actual [01:15:55] building work and executing their vision. And there were a couple examples of things where we got [01:16:00] the quote back and we’re like, what? How is it this much? And it’s like, well, we designed this amazing custom [01:16:05] planter that you wanted. And I’m like, well, not for the planters, not for 10,000. Like it does [01:16:10] look beautiful, but it’s not £10,000 beautiful. And I think one of the lessons we’ve learned there is [01:16:15] it is we have to be incredibly specific in everything [01:16:20] that we do. You have to be really vigilant.

[BOTH]: Particularly when you make a change what.

Grant Goodstein: You want and [01:16:25] what you don’t. And the other thing I learned is no matter how great the people are that you [01:16:30] work with, you as the business owner have to drive. There’s a great tech executive who [01:16:35] I think is really fascinating, a guy named Frank Slootman. He was the CEO of snowflake, which is a $100 [01:16:40] billion tech kind of cloud company. And his thing is the, the, the [01:16:45] CEO or the whoever is running the business, that person’s job is to drive urgency [01:16:50] every day. Because if someone is not there cracking the whip and that doesn’t necessarily [01:16:55] mean in a cruel, cruel way. But if you are not pushing things forward, [01:17:00] nothing happens in your business. That is the death of the speed that can separate a great business [01:17:05] from an average one. So for me, my reminder is don’t be afraid to be annoying. Follow [01:17:10] up with the design team every day. Follow up with the builders every day. If they need to be reminded [01:17:15] 2 or 3 times. I’ve got to do that 2 or 3 times. What’s going on with the sign? Because if [01:17:20] I forget to email the guy to do the shopfront sign, as I did for 3 or 4 weeks, no progress was made [01:17:25] and that was entirely lost. We’re five and a half months in without the sign. Even though I emailed, I got [01:17:30] five quotes. I decided who we went with. I forgot to drive the follow up in the sense of urgency, which [01:17:35] means we’re still five months in.

[BOTH]: Without our new sign.

Payman Langroudi: Particularly with building works, right? And I’m very [01:17:40] guilty of that as well. I kind of want to. I just want it to go away and build itself. Yeah. [01:17:45] But but then do you also take that onto a day to day?

[BOTH]: Oh, it has.

Grant Goodstein: To be everything. It has to be with hiring. [01:17:50] It has to be every single operational change, whether that’s implementing a new practice [01:17:55] management system and phone system. As we had ordering a new and signing a new intranet, [01:18:00] Uh, negotiating. Uh, associate agreements, uh, discussing, [01:18:05] uh, creating again, everything. It’s, it’s been eye opening to be a business owner [01:18:10] for the first time and to think, oh, my God, everything that’s happening around me only happened because [01:18:15] there was some guy or some woman who made it happen.

[BOTH]: You do. [01:18:20] These things do not happen. You seem incredibly.

Payman Langroudi: Seasoned, though, for a first time. It’s interesting.

[BOTH]: No, it just sounds. [01:18:25]

Payman Langroudi: Like it’s in your blood or something. You know, you do seem very seasoned, man. You do seem very seasoned. [01:18:30] Um, considering you’re only. What are you, six months in?

[BOTH]: Five and a half.

Payman Langroudi: Goodness me. [01:18:35] You should have seen me six months. It was all sorts of problems, though. Um, [01:18:40] no, it’s nice to see that. It’s nice to see that. You know, I think you’re going to be very successful. [01:18:45] Um. And you sound like you’re enjoying it and you sound like you’re, [01:18:50] you know, happy.

[BOTH]: I love.

Grant Goodstein: It. I mentioned earlier that I hit a point in my life where, [01:18:55] um, I was not thrilled with my career and I was kind of feeling depressed about [01:19:00] it. Honestly, I felt like rudderless and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And it’s been so refreshing [01:19:05] to start this journey, and I feel like I really have a sense of purpose every day. I think especially [01:19:10] in tech, right? And the world’s heading to a more remote world and this and that. When [01:19:15] you are going in person, to a physical place and delivering care to your [01:19:20] neighbours, I mean, it just what could be more motivating than that, [01:19:25] like, than making your neighbours feel good about themselves, helping [01:19:30] your neighbours feel healthy, having conversation with you, with your team that you really like spending time [01:19:35] with every day. It’s just like I have this new found purpose to my day to day routine that [01:19:40] I think, uh, I mean, I wish I could have done this earlier, but I’m loving it so far. [01:19:45]

Payman Langroudi: So what do you reckon if like a, like a optimistic estimate of when you [01:19:50] think you’re gonna grow?

[BOTH]: I mean, I’d love my vision that I have.

Grant Goodstein: In my head is.

[BOTH]: 20. [01:19:55]

Grant Goodstein: 27 will be a year that we can grow, whether it’s expand the physical footprint in our current neighbourhood [01:20:00] or which is my first. My first preference, there’s some difficulty. And again, I [01:20:05] mentioned investing in growth. Um, when Leah and I purchased the practice, we had £2,000 [01:20:10] left, um, in our bank account and rent was due the next month. So if [01:20:15] we didn’t put a positive balance in the first month, we weren’t able to make rent. So we [01:20:20] were fully tapped out when we did this. So we don’t. Everything that we’ve really invested has been out [01:20:25] of cash flow from the business, and we’ve taken on significant debt not only to buy the business, but to the [01:20:30] building works. All that stuff is largely debt financed. And one of the great things about working in [01:20:35] the dental industry is that they call it what a green light industry, I think, which means banks are [01:20:40] quite happy to.

[BOTH]: Lend.

Grant Goodstein: And at quite affordable rates. So it’s been really nice [01:20:45] because we can now afford to have these, uh, again, it was a calculated bet [01:20:50] and we made some assumptions that worked out really, really well in terms of some of those risks that we were going to take. [01:20:55] For those reasons, it may be difficult without the two years of, uh, of [01:21:00] accounts to get that next loan for, to continue to grow the business. [01:21:05] But I think we’re optimistic that 2027 so we’ll have one more year to really execute [01:21:10] and operate before we start thinking about, um, expansion as a next chapter.

Payman Langroudi: Sounds [01:21:15] amazing man. It’s been a pleasure having you.

[BOTH]: Oh.

Payman Langroudi: I’m going to [01:21:20] end with the usual, um, question.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Fantasy dinner party. [01:21:25] Actually, before I do that, um, what’s your favourite business book?

Grant Goodstein: Favourite [01:21:30] business book. That’s one that I really love that I mentioned recently that I, that we just, I [01:21:35] mentioned to you in this conversation is no rules rules, which is written by, um, Reed Hastings, [01:21:40] who’s a founder of Netflix. And Aaron Aaron Myers, I think is her name, who’s an amazing [01:21:45] business professor at Insead in Paris, who I actually had a chance to see speak about her previous [01:21:50] book, which is another good one called The Culture Map. Um, when I was working at Twitter, she spoke at one of our conferences [01:21:55] over there. Um, I really, really, really, um, it’s [01:22:00] a very interesting different culture at Netflix that they have. It’s a very performance oriented [01:22:05] culture. It’s not as warm and fuzzy a culture as some of the other tech companies [01:22:10] are known for happening. And they were very intentional about the way that they built their company in a way that’s [01:22:15] very inspiring to me. Um, that’s a really good one. Again, I’m a little bit of a Warren Buffett [01:22:20] file. So the, the intelligent investor, which is the, uh, Benjamin Graham book that [01:22:25] was his professor at Columbia Business School who wrote it. So that’s an old book. Now we’re talking about a book that’s [01:22:30] getting close to 100 years old. That’s a classic if you want to learn more about value investing. [01:22:35]

[BOTH]: Um, those are two.

Payman Langroudi: Is there any performance related, uh, pay [01:22:40] at the practice?

Grant Goodstein: Um, not, I mean, all of our clinicians are on [01:22:45] a.

[BOTH]: Sliding scale.

Grant Goodstein: Or on a, on a split. So they, it’s.

[BOTH]: A.

Payman Langroudi: Fixed one or a sliding.

[BOTH]: One. [01:22:50]

Grant Goodstein: Some are on different.

[BOTH]: Arrangements.

Grant Goodstein: Between the two of those, but everyone is incentivised [01:22:55] based on their production. Who are the clinicians, dentists and.

[BOTH]: Hygienists.

Payman Langroudi: And the. [01:23:00]

[BOTH]: Clinicians?

Grant Goodstein: Right now, we don’t because we’re in a place where we’re still learning what that looks like, but it’s absolutely [01:23:05] part of our vision for 2026 to add some sort of annual incentive. [01:23:10]

[BOTH]: Program for employees.

Payman Langroudi: I keep forgetting.

[BOTH]: How early, but yeah, we’re.

Grant Goodstein: Five months in. And frankly, [01:23:15] cashflow has been a really, really, really big. So again, we, our strong firm believers [01:23:20] in to attract the best people, you have to pay really well. So again, our vision is [01:23:25] to be one of the best paying dental practices in London for dental nurses and for [01:23:30] um, our employed staff. Um, but I had these conversations and [01:23:35] that was one of the points of friction when people came in was that people wanted big raises and I said, [01:23:40] I would love nothing more to give you this raise, but let me walk you through the state of the business today [01:23:45] and what that means. My plan. And I told people I have. I spoke [01:23:50] with three of the members of the team who asked for significant raises. We did give a raise, [01:23:55] but we weren’t prepared to meet their demand from day one. For each of them, I mapped out, this [01:24:00] is how we can get you to the number that you want within six months. I’m not guaranteeing that it will happen, but this is my vision. [01:24:05] We’re going to add more days of hygiene. We’re going to add more specialists. We’re going to do this to to make sure [01:24:10] that the diaries are fully booked on a daily basis. These are all the different things. We’re going to change our pricing structure a bit [01:24:15] here and there. Two of the three told me to go fuck myself and and left one, [01:24:20] our head nurse said, I am all in. We gave him that raise that [01:24:25] he wanted, plus more within 60 days of purchasing the practice because the [01:24:30] what we said, what we believed in, what we said we were going to do actually happened. And it’s been [01:24:35] he’s like, practically again, I know we talked about it team, but Sal, our head nurse, is like a member [01:24:40] of our family at this point. He’s someone who is so invaluable as a leader in our practice. [01:24:45]

Payman Langroudi: Amazing man. Let’s get to the final question. Fantasy dinner party. [01:24:50]

Grant Goodstein: Yeah. Okay. Yes. Three.

Payman Langroudi: Dead or alive?

Grant Goodstein: Okay. Once my wife, Leah. [01:24:55] Um.

Payman Langroudi: She’s not.

Grant Goodstein: Having it. No, she’s. She’s my guest. Really important. Uh, you [01:25:00] don’t have to have it, but I’m telling you. Because I think something that makes it really special for us is.

Payman Langroudi: A fantasy dinner [01:25:05] party. It’s not a dinner party. It’s a fantasy dinner party.

Grant Goodstein: Why would I.

Payman Langroudi: Not? I’m not accepting.

Grant Goodstein: I’m not. Why would I [01:25:10] not want my favourite person in the world at dinner?

Payman Langroudi: I’m okay. Because you have dinner with her every night.

Grant Goodstein: I know, but what if I’m having this [01:25:15] special party? Why would I not want her to be there?

Payman Langroudi: I’m sorry.

Grant Goodstein: Okay. Next person I’m going to give you is. I’m [01:25:20] extremely close with my grandfather. He’s 90 years old. Yeah. Um, he talks about the kind of the [01:25:25] entrepreneurial lineage lineage in my family. He was.

Payman Langroudi: The what.

Grant Goodstein: Did he do first? So he was someone [01:25:30] who grew up in quite a poor family in Los Angeles. Um, he was born in the 1930s, [01:25:35] and his father was kind of like always did odds and ends. He like helped [01:25:40] measure suits and worked in a factory as a machinist, was a very like, hardscrabble [01:25:45] kind of guy who just wanted a better life for his kids, and my grandfather [01:25:50] came up and wasn’t a very serious student, but was a very hard worker. He didn’t never went to university. [01:25:55] He started about 5 or 6 businesses, including a clothing store in Los Angeles. That all [01:26:00] failed. And my grandma always describes the first ten years of their marriage is extremely miserable [01:26:05] because they could barely pay their rent in their house, and they had to go to family [01:26:10] members and say, can you help out with with holiday gifts for the kids this year? And it was a [01:26:15] very difficult existence, but they just never gave up. And my grandfather came to learn in the early [01:26:20] 1970s about, um, he was at the time selling tape, not the most [01:26:25] glamorous business, like duct tape, Sellotape, duct tape, all different kinds of things. [01:26:30] And he was at a company that sold this tape to people who needed it, and [01:26:35] he somehow came to learn that it would be possible to bring in [01:26:40] tape from different parts of the world at a way better [01:26:45] price than he could get it.

Grant Goodstein: So at that time it was happening in Japan. So he found out if [01:26:50] he was selling tape for for $0.25 a roll in the States, he [01:26:55] had to pay $0.15 a roll. And if he imported from Japan, he’d pay $0.03 a roll. So what he could [01:27:00] do is offer it, undercut the price and do more. So he he started buying tape and then [01:27:05] from Japan and just using every penny of his savings to, to order the [01:27:10] order the tape, sell it. And then he could put in a bigger order. Then he could put in a bigger order. And then he started expanding [01:27:15] the business to where he really got to was tools. So he started importing tools and he was travelling [01:27:20] through these years. He was spending about three months, a year away from his family, travelling through Asia, first in [01:27:25] Japan, then into Taiwan. And then later he, he was, uh, Richard Nixon was the first American [01:27:30] president to visit China in 1974, I think within 6 to 18 months, my grandfather was [01:27:35] in China trying to figure out how to work with factories there. So he wound up selling to, you know, famous US [01:27:40] stores like Home Depot and things like that. So he wound up kind of building this, this, this business [01:27:45] from really nothing. So I admire him so much.

Payman Langroudi: Forget China in 74. [01:27:50] Yeah, today’s equivalent of that would be Mars. And people [01:27:55] don’t realise that.

Grant Goodstein: He always describes himself. He says, I was not the smartest person in business. [01:28:00] Um, but what I was is the person willing to to put up with the most maximum [01:28:05] pain and discomfort. This was in the years where when you were travelling through through China, you were [01:28:10] taking a coal driven plane, which he describes it as being almost suffocating the the [01:28:15] fumes from the coal coming out of the train. And people would be cooking on open [01:28:20] fires on the train, like killing a chicken and cooking it. Like he says, it [01:28:25] was like in the hotel, a single person.

Payman Langroudi: Would speak English.

Grant Goodstein: Yeah, one star hotel. He had [01:28:30] to hire like a local person to be his kind of chaperone to help him get get around. Who? Someone who was [01:28:35] bilingual. And he said, the death of me is when they start to open a Marriott hotel in [01:28:40] this country, he says. As long. Once it gets easy to do this, All the stores that he sold [01:28:45] to, they just sent someone out there and do it. But for him, he said, I don’t have a long window in this business. [01:28:50] I’m going to have ten, 15, 20 years. And he was going to. What do they say? Make hay where [01:28:55] the.

Payman Langroudi: When the sun shines.

Grant Goodstein: While the sun shines. That’s what he did.

Payman Langroudi: So what a character. Yeah, what a great story. [01:29:00]

Grant Goodstein: I’d say my next one would be, um, I would say Warren [01:29:05] Buffett. That’s someone who, um, again, are starting to centre around old men here in their 90s. [01:29:10] But, um, Warren Buffett is someone that I think looks at business in like such a, one of the [01:29:15] things I love about reading his shareholder letters is he always describes it that he writes [01:29:20] his letters as if they were to his grandmother or to his aunt. He always says [01:29:25] he wants to be able to. An idea isn’t great unless it can be communicated in a way [01:29:30] that anyone could understand. And I’ve learned so much about communication through him and about [01:29:35] not sounding, not trying to sound like the smartest person in the room, but actually have the most [01:29:40] coherent, easy to understand use simple words instead of big words. I really think that [01:29:45] he’s such an incredible business mind.

Payman Langroudi: Are you not going to give me a third?

Grant Goodstein: The last one’s Leah. [01:29:50] I mean, can I use this opportunity to talk about my wife, who is amazing and [01:29:55] something that’s really special about us, and I feel like the luckiest guy is that. Um, not everyone [01:30:00] gets to be married to their best friend. And for me, it is like, that’s why I say, why would you not want to have your favourite [01:30:05] person at the special fantasy dinner party? So we one thing that we love is a little bit corny, [01:30:10] but literally we walk to and from work every morning. It’s a 15 minute walk from our flat to where we work, and we hold hands every [01:30:15] morning on the way to work. So she’s the most special person and I want to recognise, especially because I [01:30:20] think if you look at a lot of the Dental industry, there’s not a lot [01:30:25] of prominent women in dentistry in the UK or worldwide. I mean, we went to Invisalign live [01:30:30] last week, last year, which was a great event. I think they had 1 or 2 women [01:30:35] speaking, one of which I know, Claire, who’s been on your podcast, is very, very involved in women in dentistry [01:30:40] and I have so much respect for her because all that I do, and I think I do a good job as [01:30:45] the MD of the practice and running the operations. But I always need to remind myself [01:30:50] that none of this would be possible without her. She is exceptional at what she does. She has patients [01:30:55] that swear by her and would never even consider going to a different dentist, [01:31:00] and she delivers amazing care again, both to the to the to the mouth and to the human. She’s [01:31:05] just a spectacular person. I’m very, very, very lucky to have her as my wife and my business [01:31:10] partner.

Payman Langroudi: And the thing you said about the treatment of nervous patients. Yeah, it’s [01:31:15] those those dentists get the most loyalty from their patients.

Grant Goodstein: If you take [01:31:20] someone and this is actually another story that I think is interesting to tell on this podcast is my wife Leah. [01:31:25] Funny is for someone who is dating long distance, 5500 miles apart, has quite a fear [01:31:30] of flying. That’s not something that she feels very comfortable with. And she decided she was going to [01:31:35] do something about it. And she booked onto the fearless flyer course with Easyjet, which culminated [01:31:40] in a flight that takes off and lands at Gatwick Airport. Okay, you have this [01:31:45] online learning pilots. Come on, talk about the science, how planes fly, answer common questions [01:31:50] and then kind of the graduation day of the course is you go on this flight that takes off and lands at Gatwick. [01:31:55] You make a circle in the air for 45 minutes and you land. And it was so inspiring. I went on the I didn’t do the [01:32:00] course with her. But you were able to purchase an extra ticket for that kind of graduation flight. And [01:32:05] she learned so many amazing things about how to soothe herself [01:32:10] during this process that she actually realised, oh my God, everything I learned here [01:32:15] can be applied to my patients who are scared of the dentist.

Grant Goodstein: She doesn’t [01:32:20] like when you’re on the plane and there’s that ding for her. She says, oh [01:32:25] my God. That must mean the pilots are communicating to the flight attendants that the plane’s about to go down. This is the end. Like [01:32:30] that’s where her mind goes. And she learned, I bet a patient when they hear the sound of my fast, [01:32:35] fast speed handpiece, They probably think, oh my God, the whole tooth is coming out. It’s [01:32:40] going to start bleeding blood. It’s going to be flying everywhere. So she can explain to the patient before [01:32:45] she ever does any treatment. Here’s the tools that I’m going to use for your appointment today. Here’s this look. We can touch [01:32:50] this one while it’s working. Not dangerous at all. It only works against a tooth. So you’re not going to again, [01:32:55] just the ability to really relate, empathise and understand has been again, as you [01:33:00] said, if a nervous patient finds a dentist that they can trust, it’s massive. They would never, ever, ever think [01:33:05] about.

Payman Langroudi: My wife works down the road from you guys in the Bupa in really?

Grant Goodstein: I didn’t know that. I didn’t [01:33:10] know your wife is a dentist.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, opposite Chelsea and Westminster.

Grant Goodstein: Okay.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. And she’s had patients [01:33:15] follow her from practice to practice because of this nervous patient thing. Um, because, [01:33:20] and what you described there and they, they teach it in dental school when you’re treating [01:33:25] kids, but it’s actually kids are very much like nervous patients. And [01:33:30] the whole, the whole thing about kids is don’t get them to become a nervous patient eventually. You [01:33:35] know, that’s a tell show do approach.

Grant Goodstein: We actually something in that spirit again. Yeah. In [01:33:40] the way we want to be a bit different is we got a little. One of these stuffed animals that you could buy online. It’s [01:33:45] a giraffe. We named her Daisy. My grandma is obsessed with giraffes. And her. She calls every giraffe [01:33:50] Daisy. So she was the inspiration for Daisy. The giraffe. And Daisy has this giant [01:33:55] set of gnashers, like, 30 teeth on there. And Leia brings out to every child [01:34:00] as she loves treating children. She brings out the giraffe and she goes to reception and says, this [01:34:05] is Daisy. Daisy and I are going to be looking at your teeth today. And before she starts [01:34:10] with the child, she said, let’s take a look at Daisy’s teeth. Let’s do a check-up for Daisy. [01:34:15] Let’s count her teeth. One, two, three. Then she goes to the child. Okay, now Daisy wants [01:34:20] to count your teeth again. That’s. Obviously you wouldn’t do that to an adult, but [01:34:25] the principle is still the same. The principle is the exact same. You help people understand what’s going on. You introduce [01:34:30] them to the concept. You help them understand not only what we’re doing, but how we’re doing [01:34:35] it and why we’re doing it. And people are going to.

Payman Langroudi: The practice of a scanner before you bought it.

Grant Goodstein: Yeah, it [01:34:40] had a itero scanner, and that’s a big part of that’s actually another thing that’s worth mentioning as [01:34:45] well is the, um, we are very much and I think this is somewhere where I can add a little bit of [01:34:50] value as an outsider of the industry, if a dentist shows me an X-ray, the team always laughs at me. As again, [01:34:55] Leah says, I’m in year two. I was looking, went into the clinician, saw a dentist, had an X-ray. I was like, oh, [01:35:00] that’s great. Implant. And Doctor Rowan, who does our our. She’s like, you got to go back [01:35:05] to your one that’s a root treated tooth. That is not an implant. I just saw a big white line going up the tooth. [01:35:10] I assume that’s an implant. Yeah. Turns out it’s a root canal, but that just shows that the average person has absolutely [01:35:15] no clue what they’re looking at when they look at an X-ray. And I think there are some tools, Pearl Overjet [01:35:20] that are helping. They can do some AI overlay and help educate a patient. But the truth [01:35:25] is, an actual picture of your tooth speaks far more to a patient. [01:35:30] So whether that’s an Itero scan or that we use intra oral. We have an intra oral camera in [01:35:35] every surgery. So instead of telling the patient, showing them the X-ray or just a lot of dentists, I might imagine just [01:35:40] say you need. There’s decay. We need to do a filling. We actually take an intra oral picture. Say, [01:35:45] see this hole in your tooth? You actually need a filling here. Let’s get it built back [01:35:50] up strong. And here are your options for how we can.

Payman Langroudi: When I was a dentist, I was so reliant on the Intraoral [01:35:55] camera. Scanners didn’t used to exist back then, but I was so reliant on the Intraoral camera that when the little light used [01:36:00] to go on it, I would honestly disable disabled for that day. You know, like we’d have [01:36:05] to order it and I’d have to come or whatever it was. Um, I used to use it for every single filling, every [01:36:10] single exam, every single everything.

Grant Goodstein: We had a software issue one day where the Intraoral camera wasn’t [01:36:15] working for one day. We had to as an emergency that we had to fix it. But Leah said she came to me, this one patient, [01:36:20] she said, this patient really needs a filling. But she didn’t believe me because I didn’t have the picture to show her.

Payman Langroudi: Because you get so [01:36:25] used to presenting it that way.

Grant Goodstein: I 100% know if this patient had seen a picture, [01:36:30] they would have said, yeah, oh yeah yeah yeah, let’s let’s do the filling. But the patient’s like. Mhm. It’s not painful. I’m [01:36:35] not sure I need it. When you show the X-ray, they have no clue what we’re looking at. So we’re we’re believers in showing [01:36:40] not telling.

Payman Langroudi: Definitely. Yeah. It’s b a massive pleasure man. Thank you.

Grant Goodstein: Thank you so much for.

Payman Langroudi: Having me so much. Not [01:36:45] least your enthusiasm.

[VOICE]: This is Dental [01:36:50] Leaders, the podcast where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders [01:36:55] in dentistry. Your hosts [01:37:00] Payman, Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

Prav Solanki: Thanks for listening [01:37:05] guys. If you got this far, you must have listened to the whole thing. And just a huge thank you [01:37:10] both from me and pay for actually sticking through and listening to what we had to say and what our [01:37:15] guest has had to say, because I’m assuming you got some value out of it.

Payman Langroudi: If you did get some value out of [01:37:20] it, think about subscribing and if you would share this with a friend who [01:37:25] you think might get some value out of it too. Thank you so, so, so much for listening. Thanks.

Prav Solanki: And don’t forget [01:37:30] our six star rating.

Payman Langroudi: This podcast comes to you from Enlighten Enlightens, an advanced teeth whitening system [00:00:05] that guarantees results on every single patient. We’ve treated hundreds of thousands of patients [00:00:10] now and have a really clear understanding of what it takes to get every patient to that delighted [00:00:15] state that we want to get to. If you want to understand teeth whitening in much further detail, join [00:00:20] us for online training. It only takes an hour completely free. Even if you never use [00:00:25] enlighten as a whitening system, you’ll learn loads and loads about whitening. How to talk about it, [00:00:30] how to involve your teams. Join us. Enlighten online training. Com.

[VOICE]: This [00:00:35] is Dental Leaders. The [00:00:40] podcast where you get to go one on one with [00:00:45] emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [00:00:50] hosts Payman Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

Payman Langroudi: It [00:00:55] gives me great pleasure to welcome Mary Lopresti onto the podcast, finally. [00:01:00] It’s been a long time coming. Thanks a lot for coming in the first place. Mahi [00:01:05] is an associate dentist interest in restorative dentistry, but probably [00:01:10] best known for his alternative approach to dental education with [00:01:15] originally global Dental Collective. Still is right the Dental Rama brands [00:01:20] now dent Town coming in September.

Mehy Lo Presti: September 18th 19th September. [00:01:25] Yes.

Payman Langroudi: Amazing. So lovely to have you, my buddy.

Mehy Lo Presti: Thanks.

Payman Langroudi: Well done for coming in. [00:01:30]

Mehy Lo Presti: Thank you for.

Payman Langroudi: Having to me. When I look at you, I really like you. We have a good time together. Whatever. Yeah, [00:01:35] but it seems to me like you’ve got this sort of, I call it outsider mentality [00:01:40] kind of thing going on. Is that right? [00:01:45] Is that wrong? Is it something that happened by mistake on purpose? Or have you [00:01:50] always been that guy who’s always thinking a bit differently?

Mehy Lo Presti: Uh, I think so, [00:01:55] yeah. Now that you say it, probably I always had in mind something else that what [00:02:00] I never knew what it meant to be or to do in my life. And that was the issue. And that’s [00:02:05] probably why I’m a dentist. To be fair, when I had to decide what to do, I [00:02:10] wasn’t exposed to all the possibilities that life could give you all the [00:02:15] jobs and professions. And when I had to decide, uh, my [00:02:20] dad, who’s a doctor, a Middle Eastern.

Payman Langroudi: Gynaecologist.

Mehy Lo Presti: Gynaecologist, of course, uh, [00:02:25] he gave me the best advice he knew about, which is, why don’t [00:02:30] you become a dentist if you don’t know what to do? Because the alternative was being a fashion [00:02:35] illustrator.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: And that didn’t.

Payman Langroudi: Were [00:02:40] you autistic?

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, yeah, I always had this artistic view, but I was never exposed [00:02:45] that that art could be a profession. And [00:02:50] I didn’t know that you could actually, through your creativity, you could actually create [00:02:55] and do different things then with the time and learn how to use that in the industry, not [00:03:00] just non-clinical, but also clinical and, uh, but.

Payman Langroudi: But, but [00:03:05] going back to you were growing up in Madrid. Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: South Madrid, two hours south La [00:03:10] Mancha.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, two hours south of Madrid, two.

Mehy Lo Presti: Hours in the middle of nowhere.

Payman Langroudi: Okay. [00:03:15] Past Toledo.

Mehy Lo Presti: Past Toledo. Uh, it’s right in between Madrid [00:03:20] and Granada.

Payman Langroudi: Uh, it’s a.

Mehy Lo Presti: Long way down. I was born in Granada, and then [00:03:25] I grew up in Pinas, which is a town famous for the wine. It’s the biggest producer of wine [00:03:30] in the world. And, uh, yeah, this is where I grew up. A son [00:03:35] of a Palestinian and an Italian.

Payman Langroudi: How did they meet my parents? [00:03:40] Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Egypt. Oh, my dad was a refugee. He left in the 67. [00:03:45] My mom. Uh, her dad, uh, was [00:03:50] Italian. And, uh, there was a big community of Italians in Alexandria.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:03:55]

Mehy Lo Presti: The accelerated from from from Italy.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: And my dad was doing medical [00:04:00] school in Alexandria.

Payman Langroudi: And she was living there.

Mehy Lo Presti: She was living there. And they had this kind of, I [00:04:05] always say Romeo and Juliet story with two families, completely different.

Payman Langroudi: Opposed. [00:04:10]

Mehy Lo Presti: Opposed completely, where they were not understanding each other. And they kind of [00:04:15] like made their way through it. And, you know, they [00:04:20] end up getting married, moved to Spain to start a new life. And this is.

Payman Langroudi: What did your mom [00:04:25] do? Did she work?

Mehy Lo Presti: She used to work at the WTO. She [00:04:30] was a secretary. She. She was speaking five languages at the age of 20. Oh, wow. She [00:04:35] was working for an Italian consulate. Super talented. And then [00:04:40] moved to Spain and started teaching, uh, doing translations. Now she still [00:04:45] does translations for for the police, for, uh, courts [00:04:50] and, uh, and she’s an amazing guitarist. She. She does her passion guitar, [00:04:55] her kids and dogs.

Payman Langroudi: She has. In a way. Would [00:05:00] you say you were more. You were more influenced by your mother than your father?

Mehy Lo Presti: In a way. I [00:05:05] think so. I think in the way that I, I analyse, I act, [00:05:10] I do things, I’m very similar to my mom and I [00:05:15] think in other ways, in the ways of how I approach or how [00:05:20] I’m probably more risk apprehensive. Maybe I’m more like my dad [00:05:25] in that sense. So but yeah, I think we have all a mix of both.

Payman Langroudi: But when [00:05:30] it came to choosing dentistry, was there struggle there? Like, did you want to do something else? And they were saying, [00:05:35] just be a dentist.

Mehy Lo Presti: No, no, they didn’t.

Payman Langroudi: They didn’t really know what you wanted.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. They never said no, don’t do [00:05:40] that. It’s just so like, look, dentistry is a great profession. It’s very generous. It’s going to be very generous with your time. [00:05:45] And then you can do in your free time.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, whatever.

Mehy Lo Presti: Whatever [00:05:50] you want. And, uh. And, well, this. To be honest, it was a great [00:05:55] advice. Advice in that day, especially when I didn’t [00:06:00] know what to do. So, uh. I think my parents, once I finish dentistry, [00:06:05] my mom confessed to me that she. Thought I would not finish even the first year. Oh, [00:06:10] you told me that now. But, you know, it’s, uh. [00:06:15]

Payman Langroudi: I have a similar story. I think my mom struggled to get me into dentistry and to get me [00:06:20] out of dentistry and all of that.

Mehy Lo Presti: She wanted you to be out of dentistry.

Payman Langroudi: She struggled. She struggled [00:06:25] with me. You know, my brother was never a struggle. He was always top of his class. But I was always scraping [00:06:30] through. If I was getting into things and passing things, I was only just getting through. [00:06:35] And I remember my mum, when I decided to stop practising, [00:06:40] the look on her face was just so crazy because it felt like I managed to [00:06:45] make him into a doctor and now he’s giving up. And then.

Mehy Lo Presti: What is it doing. [00:06:50]

Payman Langroudi: Now? And then I had to explain to my dad, who’s an accountant, totally risk averse, that I’m [00:06:55] giving up dentistry to start this teeth whitening business. And at the time, [00:07:00] teeth whitening was illegal. So you said you’re going to do something illegal. Yeah. [00:07:05] So he immediately he put down.

Mehy Lo Presti: A drug dealer.

Payman Langroudi: He put down that I’m against this. [00:07:10] Yeah. And my mum, just by looking at her face, you could tell she was against it. Yeah, yeah. So it’s [00:07:15] tough, though. Now, you’re a parent, though.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: You do sort of understand. I know your [00:07:20] daughter’s, what, three.

Mehy Lo Presti: Almost two and a half.

Payman Langroudi: Two and a half.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. So you’re not [00:07:25] there yet. But now I’m at that stage where my kids are saying, what should we do for A-levels? And one of my my [00:07:30] boys now in university, and suddenly you turn into your parents here, you start talking [00:07:35] about all sorts of worst case scenarios. You know, I’m telling my daughter now become [00:07:40] a dentist, you know, because worst case scenario, let’s say you’re on your own or whatever you can feed your children [00:07:45] and, and this sort of thing. It’s strange. As a kid, you have all hopes and dreams, and [00:07:50] as a parent, you’re looking at only those worst cases completely.

Mehy Lo Presti: I mean, [00:07:55] we’re not there yet. We’re actually, like, like, very obsessed on her doing whatever [00:08:00] she wants. Yeah. And I’m not sure if this is good either. We’re kind of probably escaping from from our [00:08:05] families. Overcompensating kind of. So also we were thinking about it. Maybe we’re too, you [00:08:10] know, we’re giving too much freedom and maybe we should guide a bit more. But because my [00:08:15] wife happened the same to her, like she wanted to be a doctor, it’s the opposite. Oh, she wanted [00:08:20] to be a doctor. And her mom said, no, you shouldn’t be. She wasn’t doing something [00:08:25] way easier. And, you know, and, uh, not complicate your life. And she did, um, [00:08:30] history of art. Oh, and now she runs a fertility company, [00:08:35] right? Yeah. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Well, we’ve had her on our podcast, haven’t we?

Mehy Lo Presti: Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. True. That’s true, that’s true. [00:08:40] So and now we’re just like trying to give her as much freedom [00:08:45] as possible. I don’t know when the time arrives of taking decisions we might be actually, like, [00:08:50] scared off.

Payman Langroudi: I think, though, is if your kid happens to have passion for something, [00:08:55] that itself is a massive lucky thing. 100%, because it’s not often I [00:09:00] talk to my kids and their friends. Few of them have a passion for something at that age, [00:09:05] especially in the UK system, right? You have to decide at 15.

Mehy Lo Presti: That was my problem. I didn’t have a passion. Yeah, [00:09:10] I was, you know, I was talented, but I was not putting in the work. [00:09:15] Right. So I didn’t have really something that I was obsessed with. Yeah. And sometimes I was, you’re [00:09:20] right. I wish I was obsessed with something. And then I was just, I knew what I [00:09:25] wanted to do and that’s luck. And that’s. Yeah, like.

Payman Langroudi: You were obsessed with having a great time, right?

Mehy Lo Presti: I [00:09:30] was obsessed with having a good time.

Payman Langroudi: Which is absolutely right for a young person, you know, like, you know, if it’s [00:09:35] not that when you’re young, what the hell is it? If you can’t have a good time, [00:09:40] then.

Mehy Lo Presti: I had an amazing time. Yeah. You know, like I.

Payman Langroudi: So where did you study? [00:09:45]

Mehy Lo Presti: I studied in Madrid.

Payman Langroudi: Central Madrid. Was it?

Mehy Lo Presti: No. There is a town called Villanueva [00:09:50] de la Canada, which is ten minutes from the centre and is a town only for students. [00:09:55] So there are like 30,000 students. Very spoilt. Yeah. All living [00:10:00] in their own little houses. Yeah. And, you know, it was amazing. [00:10:05] You know, it’s.

Payman Langroudi: So when I talk to the friends of my kids and, you know, my kids go to the [00:10:10] lycée, so their, their friends go and study all over the world. Yeah. And, you know, some have [00:10:15] gone to Milan and some have gone to America. And the ones who studied in Madrid, I’ve [00:10:20] noticed a pattern here. The ones who studied in Madrid had the best, best, best time in [00:10:25] Madrid. Did you have an amazing university?

Mehy Lo Presti: I had an amazing time. Also, [00:10:30] I struggled with being in a in a lecture room. I actually didn’t have fun in [00:10:35] all my 20 years being in a classroom. I don’t know what that kid. I’m that kid [00:10:40] that I really even now, going to a conference and sitting more. Maybe that’s why I do what I do. Yeah, [00:10:45] but just sitting.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. I don’t like to sit either. I like to look around [00:10:50] the back of the.

Mehy Lo Presti: Car like you’re never in sight and a bit like this. So I really struggle [00:10:55] and being in a classroom and that was my issue that was never going to class. So [00:11:00] I had to compensate. And luckily I had good memory so I could, you [00:11:05] know, pass the exams. But when I was in the class, I was doing something [00:11:10] else.

Payman Langroudi: So the dental school, you found it challenging?

Mehy Lo Presti: I found it challenging because I didn’t really [00:11:15] enjoy it. And I think the I mean, in general, I’m not a big fan of conventional [00:11:20] education. I think this authoritarian way of educating where everyone is [00:11:25] sitting in a class, listening to someone standing higher than the rest and saying, this is [00:11:30] how things need to be done. And if you don’t do this, it’s wrong and there is no a two way conversation. [00:11:35] You know, for me, it doesn’t work. So I think it wasn’t [00:11:40] about dentistry. I think anything that I would study, I would I would struggle in the same way because [00:11:45] it’s just the format. And then dentistry in a way, like I liked it in terms [00:11:50] of like, you know, when you get what is about and start making [00:11:55] sense, then you enjoy it. But the first two years, yeah, they were hard, like biology, [00:12:00] chemistry, anatomy, not my thing, not my thing. Yeah. [00:12:05]

Payman Langroudi: And now when you think about it. Yeah. I remember in dental school doing loads of things [00:12:10] that were totally not applicable to the job. And [00:12:15] I remember when I started doing the job, loads of things that [00:12:20] weren’t, weren’t covered in the course.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: So if we think about the sort of [00:12:25] the trade off of which bits you take out and what you would [00:12:30] throw in what comes to mind, because I think about school like that. Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, [00:12:35] I think the issue is that, Um, to update the curriculums [00:12:40] in any academic institution. It takes ages.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:12:45]

Mehy Lo Presti: So at the time that you actually want to change and be in line with what is happening in real life, you’re [00:12:50] already ten years behind. Yeah. So just now, maybe very, uh, avant [00:12:55] garde universities, they got this right. I mean, now there are universities in, [00:13:00] I know in Pennsylvania and dental schools, they’re teaching almost through, uh, snapshots [00:13:05] of images, you know, in terms of like, uh, frameworks, boom, boom, boom, boom. This is what [00:13:10] you need to do to do a filling a cavity, like very easy captions [00:13:15] and knowing the basic visuals visually teaching. Exactly. But right now, [00:13:20] you know what you need to what they teach you. Well, the goal in a [00:13:25] university or in the classroom is to have a great memory about what you just learned and [00:13:30] does it make. And then you can apply it, right? Because you just studied memorising.

Payman Langroudi: And it’s [00:13:35] a funny thing because knowledge has been commoditized. The more we get into. [00:13:40]

Mehy Lo Presti: This, like it’s very political. Yeah, whatever you learn is super political, especially [00:13:45] in early in the early days.

Payman Langroudi: But but in my dad’s day or in your dad’s day, becoming an [00:13:50] expert in an area was pretty much all you needed to dominate. Yeah. Yeah. It’s [00:13:55] almost like the memory in his head of the the different things. My dad’s an accountant. Your dad’s a doctor. But [00:14:00] almost. That was it. Now all the information’s in everyone’s fingertips. [00:14:05]

Mehy Lo Presti: Exactly. Everyone is an expert.

Payman Langroudi: Everyone’s an expert. I mean.

Mehy Lo Presti: How do you stand out? Of of of that. [00:14:10] What is what makes you different?

Payman Langroudi: I think it’s so interesting, dude, because we’ve got one member of staff here. Yeah. Who [00:14:15] has focussed in on toothpaste. Yeah. And ChatGPT [00:14:20] and we’ve got the, you know, Gemini, you know, the paid ones and [00:14:25] all that. Yeah. And literally in four months she knows more about toothpaste than I do because I [00:14:30] haven’t done that exercise the way she has. Yeah. And you realise that knowledge [00:14:35] isn’t the key. So what is the key? What is the key?

Mehy Lo Presti: I think the key is. The [00:14:40] value that the strength that you might have. You [00:14:45] know, and how to use that knowledge. And this is, uh, what [00:14:50] makes you stand out from the rest? Yeah. And I don’t know if it’s you being a good speaker or [00:14:55] a good clinician or a good, um, educator [00:15:00] or someone that how you transmit that knowledge. I think that’s going to be the, the [00:15:05] key. Um, for the future, because everyone will have the knowledge in [00:15:10] a moment. Yeah. Now how you deliver this knowledge because people will get tired [00:15:15] of going to ChatGPT. People will get tired to read. People will want to be acquire [00:15:20] this knowledge in a different way. Yeah. I want to go and speak, see [00:15:25] and listen to Payman because of the way he transmits this knowledge.

Payman Langroudi: And so we [00:15:30] see it with speakers, don’t we? There are some speakers that engage the room. Electrify [00:15:35] the room? Yeah, actually, let’s get to that part of the pod where I ask you, because you’ve been on so much [00:15:40] education. What comes to mind when I say that? I mean, which speakers, [00:15:45] for instance, you mentioned the. We were having coffee. You mentioned Galip Grill. Yeah. [00:15:50] For me there was a lecture. Galip gave about 20 years ago [00:15:55] that I went to that not only was the subject matter unbelievable [00:16:00] because it was his technique for minimally invasive prepping of the teeth. Not only that. [00:16:05] Yeah. The presentation back then, I mean, now you could probably ChatGPT, but the presentation, you had these dancers [00:16:10] going in the shape of the words beautiful. And then the man himself. [00:16:15] Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Was he a presence.

Payman Langroudi: Olympian or whatever? He was like a water polo.

Mehy Lo Presti: Captain [00:16:20] of Turkey.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, whatever. This guy said the whole room was paying attention. Yeah, [00:16:25] yeah. So he comes to mind for me. But you’ve been exposed to a lot more educators than I have. Who comes [00:16:30] to mind for you?

Mehy Lo Presti: I mean, you know, right now. Actually, the I [00:16:35] would say, well, coachman, of course, he’s a great, uh, you know, one of my favourites, [00:16:40] a mentor to me. Um, the way that he delivers [00:16:45] and, uh, improvises what he says. It’s incredible. You know how [00:16:50] he chooses the right words, the right timing, the right tone of voice? He does it very well. [00:16:55] And also, the content is very relevant because you can have also great speakers. But if the content. [00:17:00]

Payman Langroudi: You need it all, you.

Mehy Lo Presti: Need it all. And that’s the difficulty to.

Payman Langroudi: Balance all [00:17:05] of.

Mehy Lo Presti: That. Yeah. Now, now that we’re trying to find clinical educators is where we struggle to see someone [00:17:10] that can deliver in the way that’s aligned with what we do. But also the content is amazing. [00:17:15] And not only the, the, the quality of the content, but the quality, as you said, of the presentation, [00:17:20] is to be something that you remember because you’re going to only remember how you felt in that [00:17:25] moment and in that moment. If you’re like Amazed that those [00:17:30] words, that technique that they’re showing you is what we will you will retain.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. But then [00:17:35] sometimes you’re amazed and that amazement inspires you 100%. [00:17:40] But it’s not practical knowledge because you know, you can’t pull it off. [00:17:45] You’re just amazed that this guy’s pulled that off and you’re sort of in awe. And it’s important. It’s [00:17:50] important, you know, like we went to buy Malaysian, didn’t we. Some of the stuff those guys are doing, no, [00:17:55] no one in the practice is going to do day to day, but someone needs to be at the tip of the spear [00:18:00] to push things up so that everyone else comes up. So I get that.

Mehy Lo Presti: I think that [00:18:05] is, I think. Sorry to interrupt you, but I think there is a mix of that. I think you need a bit of both. Yeah. You need it’s [00:18:10] like when you see athletes, you know, like you see football and [00:18:15] then you might not learn from messy, messy. So but you are inspired [00:18:20] to, to go to go there. Now, if you want to learn football, you have some someone at your [00:18:25] level or a bit higher than your level that you can achieve. And this is a little bit with education. So I think you need [00:18:30] both. For me, one of the best, uh, and actually [00:18:35] Cristian Guzman was there and he said the same, but one of the best lectures [00:18:40] on digital dentistry is, uh, was Marta Revilla. She’s [00:18:45] a Spanish. She’s the head of, uh, research at the centre.

Payman Langroudi: Uh-uh. [00:18:50]

Mehy Lo Presti: Her lecture, dissecting everything [00:18:55] on digital, comparing all the different, uh, tools, uh, all the different [00:19:00] softwares, uh, the all the factors, error, uh, mistakes. [00:19:05] It was amazing. I think that was like a masterpiece. And the way she delivers. [00:19:10]

Payman Langroudi: Say her name again slowly.

Mehy Lo Presti: Marta. Revilla.

Payman Langroudi: Marta. Yeah. Rebellion.

Mehy Lo Presti: And [00:19:15] I think she was amazing. And that really inspired me. And [00:19:20] also seeing the lecture was in English and seeing and, non, [00:19:25] uh, native English speaker delivered in that beautiful way. It was also [00:19:30] inspiring. She’s Spanish.

Payman Langroudi: I got that feeling when I saw Nasri.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: The [00:19:35] same feeling. Oh, and I was blown away. I was completely blown away. And then [00:19:40] I got out of the lecture room. I think it was b a c d. Yeah. And I turned around to everyone and said that was [00:19:45] just unbelievable. And people weren’t as impressed as I was, but maybe because I wasn’t, [00:19:50] you know, haven’t seen it before. Yeah, but it blew me away, man.

Mehy Lo Presti: Man is amazing. That’s why we’re bringing him to [00:19:55] the town.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, I know, because it’s.

Mehy Lo Presti: I mean, the level for me. I’ve treated some [00:20:00] of his patients that he referred to me like in terms of like, hey, look, I have a problem [00:20:05] with a patient. And I saw in.

Payman Langroudi: You saw the work.

Mehy Lo Presti: I saw the work, the margins [00:20:10] and the precision. And I was like, wow. So again, he’s an expert on microscope. [00:20:15] You might not have a microscope, but you know, what is the [00:20:20] right thing to do? And you know, anything below that. It’s not perfect, so at least you know what is [00:20:25] the. What is the standard?

Payman Langroudi: And then in terms of format. Yeah, I’ve seen you’ve [00:20:30] experimented with so many different formats and we all know the basic format. The basic [00:20:35] format is the hero is standing on the stage. Hopefully there’s some good AV. There isn’t [00:20:40] always. Yeah, yeah, hopefully there’s some good AV. He shows some cases. [00:20:45] He goes through some of his techniques. Okay. That’s number one. We all know about that [00:20:50] one. Yeah. Number two I’d say one level above that is he also discusses [00:20:55] failures. Yeah. Which many don’t. Yeah. And I even thought about a whole event called [00:21:00] failures where every every case has to be a failure. Yeah. You know, because we’re going to talk about clinical [00:21:05] mistakes now, but we tend to learn from our mistakes. Yeah, yeah. Okay. That’s the next level. But it’s still [00:21:10] one guy talking. Then we get on to all the different things you’ve tried. [00:21:15] Yeah. You’ve you’ve had in the round stage productions [00:21:20] with with actors. And by the way, well done. Yeah. Someone someone [00:21:25] needs to. Someone needs to try things. Yeah. And all of that. But okay, I’ve been to those. [00:21:30] And again, I don’t know, I learned that much from I enjoyed it.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, I enjoyed it. Yeah. Panels [00:21:35] you’ve had and I’ve done panels before as well, which [00:21:40] I find them better. I find them better. But even a panel, if it’s going to go on for half an hour, 40 [00:21:45] minutes. How many people are you going to have in the panel? Say you have five people. They can only talk for like [00:21:50] five minutes each or something. And it becomes a bit sort of sound bitey. Yeah. And I’ve [00:21:55] been thinking about an idea of let’s say you can talk, you can, we can have a panel [00:22:00] on something that isn’t clinical. That’s fine. But how the hell do you have a [00:22:05] panel on a subject that is clinical? Let’s say if I want to have a panel on composite, you can’t have five composite [00:22:10] guys talking about composite. So what’s the solution? So the only thing I can [00:22:15] come up with is you get one of them to present an amazingly complicated [00:22:20] case. And the other four to discuss what they would have done. [00:22:25] Have you seen something like that?

Mehy Lo Presti: No.

Payman Langroudi: I’ve thought about it.

Mehy Lo Presti: It’s. It’s fun. Funny that you’re saying [00:22:30] that because this is something that we were we are bringing to the town. So our [00:22:35] speaker will will bring their lecture. We’re putting some priorities on the lecture. [00:22:40] What they need to have us.

Payman Langroudi: Including failure.

Mehy Lo Presti: As well. So [00:22:45] ideally.

Payman Langroudi: You know, they do that. They say that there needs to be one one failure.

Mehy Lo Presti: So [00:22:50] which is which is I think is great. And then we dissect, we build a waiting. [00:22:55] Um, it’s like a waiting room in the stage in the middle of the stage. Yeah. And there [00:23:00] is going to be like two, three interviewers and they’re going to dissect where the speaker [00:23:05] the, the conversation. And that’s why a way of thinking, [00:23:10] how can a lecturer be more relevant to what people do? [00:23:15] And also, this is very we are very good at this, right? Having the.

Payman Langroudi: Audience.

Mehy Lo Presti: Participation [00:23:20] and engaging. Yeah. And this is only you can only do it for my experience. [00:23:25] Having that circular stage or the people around some stage. [00:23:30] Yeah. Because we tried we’ve done events with other companies or in [00:23:35] other conferences where you have the classic, uh, layouts.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: It [00:23:40] was very difficult to make people be engaged and participate. So you kind of [00:23:45] need to have the people a little bit above.

Payman Langroudi: Seeing each other.

Mehy Lo Presti: Seeing each other [00:23:50] and higher than the speakers. Oh, so they don’t feel intimidated. You don’t feel like [00:23:55] they don’t see like people like, oh, there are gods and I’m not allowed to be in that conversation. [00:24:00]

Payman Langroudi: Mhm.

Mehy Lo Presti: That’s what.

Payman Langroudi: That’s interesting.

Mehy Lo Presti: That’s when one of our [00:24:05] learnings from all these years of doing this thing and, and.

Payman Langroudi: Then you’ve done even other formats, [00:24:10] you did a dinner format. Yeah. And that wasn’t education or was it entertainment? [00:24:15]

Mehy Lo Presti: It was. I mean, look, I don’t think we ever.

Payman Langroudi: Do you mix the two entertainment. Entertainment. [00:24:20]

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, you know, we again, this is something that I, I think [00:24:25] is wrong on. Well, not wrong, but it didn’t work with me. And I think with a lot of people. And it’s the conventional [00:24:30] education, which is just one way of, uh, the conversation goes in one [00:24:35] direction. And what we want to do is we create conversation. So you see something, [00:24:40] something is wrong, and then we facilitate the conversation. So the idea of the [00:24:45] of modern noir was to experiment what people would like, what people wouldn’t like. [00:24:50] We really took everything to the maximum level of creativity. We, you know, people [00:24:55] were arriving to this old church that we converted in a fancy [00:25:00] dinner for 150 people. But when you were arriving, you arrived to a trade [00:25:05] show from the 80s, and then the actors would perform how the industry [00:25:10] were in the 80s, how then after how the industry was in in [00:25:15] 2025, how dentistry will be in 2045. So [00:25:20] there is true that the last there there was no conversation or [00:25:25] the people didn’t have the chance to speak, but we wanted to see what was that creating [00:25:30] in between the people. And if people were having their own conversations in their own [00:25:35] tables.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, I think, look, the one sort of takeaway from all of this, yeah, is, [00:25:40] okay, me and you might be a little bit like unconventional learners, right? [00:25:45] Adhd types, whatever. They couldn’t sit down in the classroom or whatever. Maybe that’s why me and you [00:25:50] are so interested in this subject, like you said. But Dental education needs a shake up. [00:25:55] And the reason it needs a shake up is that if I want to just learn, I can order [00:26:00] a bunch of courses that I can sit in front of my computer and learn. Yeah. Then you’ve got the kind [00:26:05] of the, the networking part of going to a course. You know, you meet some people [00:26:10] like you maybe managed to talk to the teacher at the bar in that course. [00:26:15] And then really, the point is the sort of experiential side [00:26:20] of you’re taking a day out of your life to go to a Dental thing. That [00:26:25] day needs to be super fun. And I think you’ve really nailed that with with global Dental collective [00:26:30] in a nice way. But really, every time I do an event now that’s always like become [00:26:35] my focus here that the guy needs to have felt like it was worth leaving his House.

Mehy Lo Presti: And [00:26:40] the Senate, and the bar is getting higher and higher and higher. Yeah. Uh, I mean, [00:26:45] I think the industry is a few steps behind other industries. Yeah. [00:26:50] Like fashion, uh, like tech, uh, although.

Payman Langroudi: Many steps [00:26:55] ahead. Um, medicine, for instance, you know, I, I’ve been to some of my brother’s [00:27:00] things and it’s just like, you know, the classic old shape lecture with heading bullet. Bullet. [00:27:05] Bullet. Bullet. Just words. The lecturer saying the words that are on the screen.

Mehy Lo Presti: And [00:27:10] it used to be amazing, you know? Have you seen those, like, surgical rooms where they’re doing the surgery [00:27:15] and they’re like surgical theatres, which inspired.

Payman Langroudi: The.

Mehy Lo Presti: Operation? This is inspired [00:27:20] us a lot to our formats. That was amazing. Right? And those classrooms, [00:27:25] old style where people can debate comment that doesn’t exist anymore. You know, like people [00:27:30] are just like throwing ideas, the teachers and they get banned for the crazy ideas. [00:27:35] No. Now everything is so political, you know? So controlled. And this is what it means. And this is what we want [00:27:40] to we wanted to bring back this, uh, you know, when you see in the movies, you know, the scientists talking [00:27:45] about these new laws of maths and new physics and people are [00:27:50] getting crazy and this is bullshit, and this is great. This is what I think we’re missing [00:27:55] that conversation and the formats, unfortunately, you know, they sit and [00:28:00] listen format is dying.

Payman Langroudi: I think another important thing to point out though, [00:28:05] and to remember as someone like you. Yeah. Is, let’s say you do this Dental. [00:28:10] Let’s say it goes amazingly well. And I don’t know what your numbers are, but let’s imagine 750 people [00:28:15] turn up. 75,000 people will see the content.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. [00:28:20]

Payman Langroudi: And where you’ve you’ve done quite well there is that, you know, and it’s important to remember as, as [00:28:25] someone who’s organising an event, it’s as important or could be ten times [00:28:30] as important for the social views and [00:28:35] the content that comes from the event. Yeah. As it is to be at the event.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, [00:28:40] yeah, yeah, yeah. We put a lot of effort on being able to show [00:28:45] as much as possible or make people feel what actually happens in the room. [00:28:50] It’s, it will never be fair and never comparable to what you [00:28:55] can experience being there, but at least you know.

Payman Langroudi: But you know, if I’m scrolling my phone, yeah. [00:29:00] And anything by you comes up. Yeah, I’m going to stop and watch. Yeah. [00:29:05] That is a product. That attention is the product itself. [00:29:10] Yeah. Because I could I could scroll and watch whatever the hell I want. Yeah. Why should I watch global Dental? [00:29:15]

Mehy Lo Presti: I agree, and I.

Payman Langroudi: So.

Mehy Lo Presti: Appreciate you liking it. And a lot of people pass and don’t [00:29:20] for sure, but but uh, same.

Payman Langroudi: Thing, same thing, same thing here in this room. Yeah. We can [00:29:25] sit and be politically correct. Yeah. But then why should the guy anyone? Why should the listener [00:29:30] listen to this? Why not go watch succession or something?

Mehy Lo Presti: You know? I [00:29:35] agree people. I mean, you probably would have stopped time ago and probably [00:29:40] that’s the nature. But what this.

Payman Langroudi: What does the listener want here? Yeah. Listener wants here a little [00:29:45] look behind the curtain. Right. So let’s do that. Let’s let’s let’s uh.

Mehy Lo Presti: You’re [00:29:50] taking me. Okay. Let’s go.

Payman Langroudi: That takes me comfortably onto let’s go the little [00:29:55] look behind the curtain. Let’s just go straight into the darker part of [00:30:00] this pod. Let’s let’s start with the very general question [00:30:05] in the last 20 years that you’ve been involved in education, [00:30:10] dentistry, all of that, what to you, which day sort [00:30:15] of stands out as the darkest day? What, what what comes to mind when I [00:30:20] say that? Or which days?

Mehy Lo Presti: In education or in clinical either. [00:30:25] Well, clinical for sure. Like [00:30:30] the, the, you know, the stress of knowing that, you know, we [00:30:35] all had these issues with patients, know that you’re doing the best that you think you’re doing for someone. [00:30:40] And you know, things cannot always go as you expect.

Payman Langroudi: And [00:30:45] I want to go into it.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. And then, and then, you know, feeling [00:30:50] like you are a criminal, you know, like actually like.

Payman Langroudi: When you get a letter or [00:30:55] something.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. I mean, touch wood. I never got any letter or any formal complaint. Well. [00:31:00]

Payman Langroudi: I never got we’ve all had complaints. Right?

Mehy Lo Presti: Complaint? Yes, but nothing [00:31:05] like GDC. So but and you [00:31:10] know what? This is a feeling that you don’t have in Spain. Yeah, yeah. [00:31:15] That fear of practising dentistry, that fear of doing the right thing is so crazy. [00:31:20] And this is one of the reasons that we started doing all this. You know, our first event was about mental health and social [00:31:25] media.

Payman Langroudi: I was there.

Mehy Lo Presti: They were there. And it really shocked [00:31:30] me. Coming from Spain, where you have the freedom of doing [00:31:35] the best that you think and and if things don’t go well.

Payman Langroudi: Everyone [00:31:40] understands.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, at least there is no any automatic process of [00:31:45] making your criminal. Yeah. Right. And make you making you feel like, oh, wow, [00:31:50] you’re not good enough or, or being still being confident about what you do and [00:31:55] being in a process that I’ve never been through. But I’ve seen a lot of incredible [00:32:00] clinicians that I went through this. I was like, why? What’s the reason? I mean, [00:32:05] with the time we understood.

Payman Langroudi: I mean, have you got a feeling of what, for instance, in Spain, what is [00:32:10] the process for someone who really does need to be stopped?

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, I don’t think so. The GDP [00:32:15] in Spain doesn’t doesn’t go automatically to try [00:32:20] and and get you or or you know.

Payman Langroudi: But let’s start [00:32:25] with that. Let’s, let’s imagine there’s someone who’s a proper criminal. Yeah, he’s he’s.

Mehy Lo Presti: Taking [00:32:30] you’re going to get sued. You know, you’re going to be like.

Payman Langroudi: No, no, but he’s taking teeth out that don’t need to be taken out or whatever it is. He’s doing [00:32:35] terrible. And if if the patient doesn’t have the same recourse as they have [00:32:40] here. Yeah. I guess that guy can get away with more than here, because over here [00:32:45] people are getting done for almost nothing, for having the right, the wrong thing written in the notes.

Mehy Lo Presti: So I think there is I [00:32:50] don’t think the problem is on us trying to stop things. Of, [00:32:55] of, of going wrong. Right. The problem is the process itself where [00:33:00] you really feel like you’re a criminal. This is a problem. The problem is that not that they investigate the [00:33:05] issue or see what’s wrong. No, the problem is what blame. They blame the [00:33:10] the the whole thing about waiting for for for months. Yeah. If something [00:33:15] gets resolved, the investigation, the I mean, I, I have friends [00:33:20] that, you know, they call everyone that they work with to understand if he’s actually a good dentist, [00:33:25] a bad dentist. I mean, I think it’s a bit crazy. And for also, [00:33:30] we did a bit of research understanding if this is true or not. There is no such a big risk as the reality. [00:33:35] I think also.

Payman Langroudi: The fear is more.

Mehy Lo Presti: The fear, those numbers that are brought by [00:33:40] indemnity insurances, right? Like they are the ones saying like you’re going to get. They’re [00:33:45] saying that to students. You’re going to get an average of five complaints during your career.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah, [00:33:50] yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Imagine you’re getting your license, your driving license. And the guy from from the insurance comes, knocks at the door. He’s like, [00:33:55] hey, by the way.

Payman Langroudi: When you go to.

Mehy Lo Presti: Court, when you go to, to, when you start driving, you’re going to have at least five accidents. [00:34:00] How are you going to drive the rest of your life?

Payman Langroudi: I think I had I had Linda Cruz on the pod. [00:34:05] Yeah. And he said they used to actively start every lecture with that. And they actually [00:34:10] realised, I think he was working for Dental defence or something. They actually realised [00:34:15] they’re putting anxiety into the whole workforce and then stopped doing it. Yeah. [00:34:20]

Mehy Lo Presti: Because those numbers, I don’t know where they’re coming from.

Payman Langroudi: But there was there was there was a peak GTC [00:34:25] around 20 1415. Yeah. Peak. Well, yeah, they were calling, they were [00:34:30] taking in anyone they could.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I went, I mean, I got also behind those [00:34:35] years and understanding the numbers and who was taking the decisions. And [00:34:40] yeah, they didn’t look very good. I think things were they’re trying to change.

Payman Langroudi: Trying to [00:34:45] make them.

Mehy Lo Presti: Better. Yeah. But yeah, there was a, you know, I don’t know if you’re talking about 2010 or something [00:34:50] like that.

Payman Langroudi: Ten, 10 to 15 was really tough.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I saw.

Payman Langroudi: Those when you arrived. [00:34:55] Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Just before And I saw some numbers and they were like, the graph is like up [00:35:00] and down, like drastically.

Payman Langroudi: So I want to get to your biggest mistake, but let’s start with [00:35:05] you came from Spain. Have you practised in Spain?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. Practised for two years.

Payman Langroudi: So the biggest [00:35:10] difference between here and there was this fear question. Anything else? [00:35:15] What, like practising in Spain and practising here. What’s what are the patients different there to [00:35:20] hear that.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. I mean it would be difficult to compare because I was in a rural [00:35:25] area.

Payman Langroudi: Oh. Compared to central London.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. Compared to central London, compared to Kensington [00:35:30] or to Highgate. You know, it’s, it’s it’s hard also it’s a different mentality. And [00:35:35] you don’t have NHS there. Yeah. Uh so you know, it’s a [00:35:40] different system. There is all private 95%. [00:35:45] Uh, so I think the main thing also the financial, uh, [00:35:50] background and where you work in the context, right? Um, their [00:35:55] insurances kind of stipulated the price of the [00:36:00] treatments in exchange of sending you patients. Yeah. There is no regulation [00:36:05] on the amount of dentists that can get graduated every year. So there is an [00:36:10] overflow of dentists. So at the end it’s very hard to do good dentistry. Yeah. [00:36:15] Because a people don’t don’t they’re not [00:36:20] used to pay a lot for good dentistry.

Payman Langroudi: And there’s loads of dentists.

Mehy Lo Presti: And there’s lots of dentists. So [00:36:25] that was one of the reasons, you know, like of, of leaving.

Payman Langroudi: But was there like a two tier [00:36:30] thing? I mean, I’m sure there’s some of the top dentists in the world work in Spain.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah, yeah there is. But those [00:36:35] seats.

Payman Langroudi: It’s very.

Mehy Lo Presti: Very, very limited. And that’s the problem that you need to have access to [00:36:40] that upper class and you need to have a name for years. And normally [00:36:45] it’s people that they had clinic for generations start over. And I know some [00:36:50] of the best dentists in the world that they are like, wow. And they tell me what they can charge. And [00:36:55] they almost lose money. And it’s not about being rich, but software, technology, everything. [00:37:00] If you want to apply what is coming on board, you know, it’s the [00:37:05] numbers are not right.

Payman Langroudi: So what made you move to London? I know, I know, you wanted [00:37:10] to move out of Spain, but why London?

Mehy Lo Presti: I think, uh, this is 2015. You [00:37:15] know, London was probably the capital of the world, uh, before Brexit and [00:37:20] before, uh, all this Covid and crisis. [00:37:25]

Payman Langroudi: So kind of bright lights, big city, kind.

Mehy Lo Presti: Of it was like, you.

Payman Langroudi: Know, did you know London already?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I knew London. [00:37:30]

Payman Langroudi: A few.

Mehy Lo Presti: Times. I had family here. Um, but not in the way that I actually discovered, [00:37:35] you know, from the creativity.

Payman Langroudi: Where did you move to? Where was the first part of London you. [00:37:40]

Mehy Lo Presti: Moved to start my land.

Payman Langroudi: My land?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: My land.

Mehy Lo Presti: It was like.

Payman Langroudi: What [00:37:45] a shocker.

Mehy Lo Presti: My. First time my mom came to visit me. [00:37:50] She left crying.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, I bet she did.

Mehy Lo Presti: She left like I think. [00:37:55] I was sharing a house with six girls.

Payman Langroudi: Oh.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well done. I mean, I was like, you know, I [00:38:00] came with with nothing. So I had a job and performing nothing. [00:38:05] And I could barely speak English also.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, really?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it was [00:38:10] from zero. From scratch.

Payman Langroudi: But you spoke Spanish. Italian, Arabic? Yeah. Do you speak Arabic? [00:38:15]

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: And Italian as well.

Mehy Lo Presti: Italian, 70%. Oh, but I understand 100%, [00:38:20] but yeah, now I have to get. I have an Italian wife and.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, that’s right, that’s right.

Mehy Lo Presti: So it’s [00:38:25] getting it’s getting better.

Payman Langroudi: So then how did you find the job? What did you do?

Mehy Lo Presti: That’s [00:38:30] a crazy story. Uh, I basically I [00:38:35] came, I didn’t understand the system and then I, I, I, I discovered [00:38:40] the NHS and how you need to start working in NHS and then go to private and this and that. [00:38:45] I was like, gosh, this is going to be impossible. So I went to see a Spanish [00:38:50] dentist that worked in Nottingham, and I asked him for advice and he had like, you know, [00:38:55] the dream life. You know, he was like, it’s a super cool dude. And he’s I mean, I’d [00:39:00] be forever grateful for for him always. And I was like, okay, how can I do [00:39:05] this? I was like, man, you’re going to have to work in the NHS and then this and then there’s like a long journey. [00:39:10] I felt like super demotivated. I was like, okay, I went home, back home and [00:39:15] I was like, okay, this is not going to happen. And I don’t know, I need to find a different way. I, [00:39:20] I bumped into, into, in the street into this guy and [00:39:25] dentist in Spain.

Payman Langroudi: Okay.

Mehy Lo Presti: And he’s like, you know, I’m [00:39:30] the person that was running the clinic with me. She left. And, [00:39:35] you know, I was thinking that, you know, I need someone to help me with the management [00:39:40] and everything. You know, she was my right hand. And, you know, I think you need a space [00:39:45] or have you found a place? It’s like, no, it’s like, okay, why don’t start?

Payman Langroudi: Okay.

Mehy Lo Presti: And see, you know, [00:39:50] there was one chair clinic. Only one chair in Westbourne Grove. [00:39:55]

Payman Langroudi: Okay.

Mehy Lo Presti: Super cool. Like very nice clinic, but one chair. So [00:40:00] it was like, okay, when can I work? It’s like, well, whenever it’s free. The chair. So when it’s [00:40:05] free, the chair go and check. So in that way, I started, you [00:40:10] know. You know, I remember that, uh, he was not doing root canal. So I started doing. [00:40:15] His root canal.

Payman Langroudi: Root canal private. Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Or private.

Payman Langroudi: Okay. So he never even worked [00:40:20] at the NHS.

Mehy Lo Presti: Never worked NHS never. Never worked in NHS. I don’t know if it’s nice or not, but I never. I mean, [00:40:25] kind of like the insurance system in Spain.

Payman Langroudi: It’s a bit like that.

Mehy Lo Presti: A bit like that. [00:40:30]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: A lot of patients.

Payman Langroudi: High volume.

Mehy Lo Presti: Volume.

Payman Langroudi: Low price.

Mehy Lo Presti: So I went through [00:40:35] it.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: And I was like, okay, I’m not, I’m not going to do this here again. And then I tested [00:40:40] what is the private in Notting Hill? And I was like, okay, this is nice.

Payman Langroudi: So living [00:40:45] in my land, working in Notting Hill.

Mehy Lo Presti: It was easy access, central line. It was there in like 30 [00:40:50] minutes, so it was actually very nice. I remember working like, I don’t know, very little, like [00:40:55] 2 or 3 hours a day, like 2 or 3 days not working.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:41:00]

Mehy Lo Presti: I was making enough money to, you know, to pay rent and save some money. [00:41:05] And then it started like, you know, I was understanding and learning how the system works, the patients, [00:41:10] everything.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: And then at some point, uh, yeah, just got another job and another [00:41:15] job and, you know, everything went organic.

Payman Langroudi: And did you study [00:41:20] any more apart from the, you know, Dental degree?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I went to, I did my master’s in [00:41:25] aesthetic restorative dentistry at King’s.

Payman Langroudi: Okay.

Mehy Lo Presti: Uh.

Payman Langroudi: Part time, part [00:41:30] time.

Mehy Lo Presti: Part time. And that was also great. Uh, open [00:41:35] my mind to.

Payman Langroudi: To whole mouth dentistry.

Mehy Lo Presti: Whole mouth. [00:41:40] Uh, you know, a new system, the British educational [00:41:45] system, which was very different to what we do, writing critical appraisals. That [00:41:50] was super hard. There was no ChatGPT or stuff like that. That’s right. I mean, now imagine people [00:41:55] doing that and I don’t even know how. But that was hard. The all the research [00:42:00] that needed to be done behind that was very tough.

Payman Langroudi: I recommend it.

Mehy Lo Presti: I [00:42:05] think. It depends. [00:42:10] It depends if you want to get into research and in the academic circuit works in work in university. [00:42:15] Yes. Right. Because this is where.

Payman Langroudi: You.

Mehy Lo Presti: This is where they’re going to meet you. Yeah. [00:42:20] You know, and this is the way to get in. Yeah. If you don’t. Maybe not. Now there are an incredible, [00:42:25] uh, programs and especially in restorative, right? The one year program, [00:42:30] two year, you know, from I know Monique Vashon or Chris or, or these, you know, these people, [00:42:35] they have the basics and the where you can get incredible notion of [00:42:40] doing things in the right way and you can practice straight or.

Payman Langroudi: Even spear and spear. [00:42:45]

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. And if you are willing to travel, you know, this is, I think one [00:42:50] of my to do or something I would have liked to do is do coys. [00:42:55] That’s probably something that if I had the chance, I [00:43:00] could in dentistry. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: That’s probably so is that the answer [00:43:05] to my other question, which is going to be if you have no time or money constraints, which course would [00:43:10] you jump into?

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, in.

Payman Langroudi: Clinical.

Mehy Lo Presti: Courses probably.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [00:43:15] What if we’re not talking clinical what would you do?

Mehy Lo Presti: I will tell [00:43:20] you what is my the best educational experience I ever had. And I [00:43:25] would do again and again and again and is going to the College of Extraordinary [00:43:30] Experiences.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, so.

Mehy Lo Presti: This was actually what opened my mind to immersive [00:43:35] experience and to do what I do in a different level. Yeah, we were 130 [00:43:40] experienced designers from all around the world in a castle in Poland. [00:43:45]

Payman Langroudi: Wow.

Mehy Lo Presti: For for a week on a Harry Potter Hogwarts [00:43:50] style.

Payman Langroudi: Wow.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. So you have your house, you have your lectures. [00:43:55] Everything is a bit magic. Uh, you completely forget about the.

Payman Langroudi: Outside. [00:44:00]

Mehy Lo Presti: Outside world. Uh, I remember also, there is no alcohol served [00:44:05] in the whole week, which doesn’t need to mean anything, but, you know, this course is in the night. You [00:44:10] know, normally there’s a bar or something, there is no alcohol. And I found that incredible because. [00:44:15]

Payman Langroudi: Give me some examples of like what stuff went on there.

Mehy Lo Presti: So [00:44:20] for example, uh, there are every day you have [00:44:25] like two different workshops. Um, one of the workshops, for example, [00:44:30] was about, uh, voice. So there was a group of [00:44:35] 15 people in a room And through the buoys you [00:44:40] through the buoys, you can heal and you can, you know, get to a different level, right? [00:44:45] And it was how the, the, the [00:44:50] teacher facilitator make the whole room go to a note in [00:44:55] your voice that you would never imagine that you could go, well, you get to, to places [00:45:00] that you don’t ever think that you can go. Thanks to the collective work and [00:45:05] the experience of, of how, how to create that [00:45:10] classroom and how to learn from, okay, how can I apply what he just did, what I do [00:45:15] in a daily basis and that you can apply it from the whole experience? For me, it was the whole [00:45:20] experience. And from there, you can take things that you can tweak in the patient experience, how you make feel, [00:45:25] people triggering through an emotion, through a sound, through light, through different [00:45:30] components. The event has. So everything was super curated [00:45:35] every single moment.

Payman Langroudi: And who were the other people on that call? Nothing to do with dentistry, obviously. Nothing. [00:45:40] All different sort of event.

Mehy Lo Presti: All different. I mean, some people that they were like the head of events [00:45:45] in Disney and the head of research on Adidas, uh, people that they do immersive experiences [00:45:50] in, in escape rooms in Netherlands that they do.

Payman Langroudi: How did you find this [00:45:55] course?

Mehy Lo Presti: So a good friend of mine told me, I told her like, this is what I’m doing with Dental. I was like, okay, [00:46:00] you need to go here. And it’s almost like almost, almost like invitation only. I mean, if anyone [00:46:05] wants to know more about it, please contact me because I’m super happy to share. [00:46:10] Yeah. If you like events, experience and learn more about it, it’s, it’s [00:46:15] it’s amazing. It’s, uh, I think next one is in October in 2026. [00:46:20] And, uh, she told me you need to go there and, you know, actually I went not knowing what I [00:46:25] was going to do. You see the website and already the name is amazing the College of Extraordinary [00:46:30] Experiences.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: It’s like, I want it to be there.

Payman Langroudi: I think I’m going to go.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, you should go. And then, honestly, [00:46:35] the people that you meet, like, like, uh, we [00:46:40] did it with three people that I met there from Netherlands. They flew all the way there. Actors. [00:46:45] We create the experience.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, I see.

Mehy Lo Presti: And even for for downtown, we have also [00:46:50] a lot of people that work in events, creating different parts of, of the, of the [00:46:55] two days.

Payman Langroudi: So, you know, it’s really interesting that, like you say, in order for [00:47:00] me to feel like I’ve had an experience.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: The ingredients of that [00:47:05] are less than obvious. You know, it’s not obvious. [00:47:10] It’s not, it’s not, it’s not just what you do, it’s how you do it. Yeah. So [00:47:15] like what you’re saying about voice bringing you to a different level of sort of meditation, [00:47:20] if you like. Yeah. There’s no sort of logical reason why that might [00:47:25] be. So you can completely miss that. Yeah. And the way that we’re talking about, you know, one speaker [00:47:30] having aura and charisma and the other speaker. They could even be saying the exact [00:47:35] same thing. But one of them has your attention and the other doesn’t. And [00:47:40] like you say, sound and light and the importance of these things to changing [00:47:45] your sort of outlook on things. Have you ever reflected on [00:47:50] how can you translate that to a dental practice setting 100%? Have [00:47:55] you. You must have. Right?

Mehy Lo Presti: I do, and actually I lecture about it. Oh, really?

Payman Langroudi: I’ve [00:48:00] not seen this lecture.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I have a lecture called the Patient Experience Design. Yeah. [00:48:05] Where? I lecture at the European, um, Association, [00:48:10] European, uh, Association of Cosmetic Dentistry in [00:48:15] Sevilla in September and was a lecture about this, about how can you design [00:48:20] the experience of the patient through the journey, but not [00:48:25] only about the communication, not only about the things that we see often, but also [00:48:30] about how we can.

Payman Langroudi: Make some smells and all of that. Is that where we went?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, a little bit like [00:48:35] this. And also what we can get from other industries and how to apply it with the materials and softwares [00:48:40] that we have. So how to create brand experience with your scanner, how to do that with a [00:48:45] 3D printer, how to, uh, and what are the most difficult things [00:48:50] to, to solve, like sound during the, even during the lecture, I trigger motions with [00:48:55] the sound and people was like, oh, you need to stop this. I can’t do it with that. I said, yeah, so it’s a very good, [00:49:00] cool, cool.

Payman Langroudi: So give us some examples. Then give us some examples [00:49:05] of someone, someone’s opening a squat. I’ve got someone coming in actually after you. He’s just about [00:49:10] to totally change a practice. Yeah. What’s your advice? Like what you know from the [00:49:15] you’ve got the obvious things like goals and what you see. [00:49:20] And I think, you know, for me, like when you say take, take inspiration from other industries, sometimes [00:49:25] you go to a spa or something and from the moment you walk in, it’s just like it’s a whole different feeling.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, [00:49:30] well.

Payman Langroudi: A Dental doesn’t have to do that, but maybe yes, it can or it can’t. [00:49:35]

Mehy Lo Presti: But yeah, I don’t know why not.

Payman Langroudi: You know, can it can, it can, it can.

Mehy Lo Presti: And this is something that they do very well. Yeah. [00:49:40] And then we are very resistant to it. Not sure why, you know, I mean, like I know why, you know, [00:49:45] we’re a very conservative industry and then we think things are in a way. And then to change takes time. I think people are going [00:49:50] into that direction.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. So no, but okay. I’m setting up the squad. Yeah. I’ve got an example. I went to Robbie Hughes’s [00:49:55] place in Liverpool. Have you been.

Mehy Lo Presti: No.

Payman Langroudi: But what’s amazing about it is, you know, you’re [00:50:00] in events. Yeah. So you know how in events you get the blank space. Yeah. Blank canvas type events, [00:50:05] blank canvas. Basically the. For people who are not in events, the, the, the, the venue [00:50:10] has nothing. It’s just a big open space and you can do whatever the [00:50:15] hell you want with it. And he’s kind of done that with this practice, insomuch as from the outside [00:50:20] it looks like an Ikea or something. It looks like a warehouse, like kind of like that industrial [00:50:25] Warehouse thing. The moment you step in, there’s this [00:50:30] like curated space and big thing in Liverpool spaces a lot cheaper than [00:50:35] in London, right? Because I live next to his London practice, which is much smaller practice. Yeah. [00:50:40] Um, but you know, there’s enough space that he’s got long corridors and his [00:50:45] own surgery. Anyone who’s been there, it’s like the biggest surgery I’ve ever seen. You know, [00:50:50] there’s a, there’s a table like this in the surgery. Then there’s a sofa area, then there’s four big screens [00:50:55] that way. And then there’s, you know, it’s a it’s a totally different experience. So go on. [00:51:00] So if someone was going to do a squat.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. I think this is something important. Also [00:51:05] understanding your demographic. Yeah. Who are the patients that you want to treat?

Payman Langroudi: That’s the right start.

Mehy Lo Presti: Uh, because [00:51:10] if you go to fancy, people might feel overwhelmed and [00:51:15] they might already think, okay, this is not my place. And this is also it happens to us, right? That’s very true. Sometimes [00:51:20] you go to a shop, there’s like, oof, this is too much luxury. It’s going to be so expensive and it’s going to be like, oh, [00:51:25] maybe it’s not. It looks so that you’re like.

Payman Langroudi: You know, personally. Personally, I’ve got trouble in [00:51:30] Bond Street, you know, walking into a shop where there’s no other customers. Yeah. A [00:51:35] uniformed guy on the door and someone standing there like, I can’t, [00:51:40] I can’t do it. No, I can’t if.

Mehy Lo Presti: You want, you’re like.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, I can’t bring myself to go [00:51:45] into that shop.

Mehy Lo Presti: Exactly.

Payman Langroudi: So, so I get it. So but then that shop’s there for a reason because that’s aiming at someone [00:51:50] else. Who’s who wants that privacy. Oh, 100%. And you make a very good point. You make it very well.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. [00:51:55] I’m not saying it’s the right thing because they are doing well, of course, but it depends what you want to do. You know, maybe you want [00:52:00] to treat one patient a day and then close the whole place for them. I think Robbie, for example, he does this very well [00:52:05] and he knows his clientele. He knows what they want.

Payman Langroudi: And by the way, very accessible [00:52:10] there too. Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: No, I’m not saying about that. It’s how what the patients want to [00:52:15] be, to feel. Yeah. I’m not saying I don’t know the prices or anything like that, but they want to feel [00:52:20] that this is super exclusive and I’m super cured. And there’s no there’s no other [00:52:25] person in the world except me right now. And he’s done. I think that very well. But [00:52:30] there are other areas that people might not want, that people might want to feel like, okay, this is a normal [00:52:35] place. It’s actually accessible, easy, accessible. So that’s [00:52:40] number one, understand your, your audience with who you want to talk, walk, um, um, [00:52:45] work.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: This happens also in social media. It depends which kind of patients you want [00:52:50] to attract.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Um, second, be the patient yourself. So [00:52:55] see what you would like to be doing in that space, right? Something that I love, for [00:53:00] example, um, is as an architect, uh, and he’s one [00:53:05] of the best designers in the world. He founded house of M.wood. He’s actually speaking at Dental [00:53:10] to, uh.

Payman Langroudi: Who is it? What’s his.

Mehy Lo Presti: Name? He’s, uh, Iranian.

Payman Langroudi: Okay.

Mehy Lo Presti: I’m [00:53:15] gonna I’m gonna say his surname wrong, but he’s from Netherlands, and he founded [00:53:20] House of Hamad, and he’s done one of the best, some of the best clinics in the world. And, [00:53:25] uh, he does this receptionists clinics right where, [00:53:30] um, and I love that it’s the clinics that there are no receptionists. There are hosts, right? [00:53:35] And you don’t see those desks, that high desks.

Payman Langroudi: Why are they so high? Why are they [00:53:40] so high?

Mehy Lo Presti: I don’t know, I think we’re trying to hide something behind.

Payman Langroudi: The.

Mehy Lo Presti: Field. Yeah. But you know, [00:53:45] again, it can work. I think things are changing in that in that sense. And I think that’s [00:53:50] the way and also the reception where people are waiting. What do you want them to do there? You [00:53:55] know, like sometimes we create.

Payman Langroudi: In the waiting room.

Mehy Lo Presti: Waiting room. Yeah, super uncomfortable spaces. [00:54:00] And it’s like, what? You know, people are very busy. Maybe they want to work there.

Payman Langroudi: Have you come across a guy [00:54:05] called Tristan Scott? He’s in Bristol.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I [00:54:10] think he rings a bell.

Payman Langroudi: He’s he he’s got this practice in in the sort of the harbour [00:54:15] area of Bristol. And he’s modelled the waiting room on a, I [00:54:20] don’t know, Singapore airline. Uh, first class seat. Yeah. [00:54:25] Yeah. And but I don’t know how much it cost him. Yeah. Because it, it looks like it’s a bespoke [00:54:30] thing. Someone’s built for him. Yeah. Um, but yeah. Okay. So what [00:54:35] do you want person to do in that room? It’s a good question. Right?

Mehy Lo Presti: You know, how do you want them to feel? And they want to be [00:54:40] like, you know, okay, bring us something that I usually say a lot people, they come from the outside [00:54:45] world and they come from all their problems and disasters. Or maybe they just receive [00:54:50] a £2,000 bill. Maybe they’re going through a divorce. Maybe the kids just throw up before going to [00:54:55] school, and they come rushing to your clinic to do a dental work. You know, [00:55:00] how can we bring them to the level of acceptance [00:55:05] and the level of calm in a in the first instance?

Payman Langroudi: Not [00:55:10] to mention nervous. Yeah. Not to mention nervous.

Mehy Lo Presti: Not even mentioning nervous. I’m not even mentioning it yet. I’m talking about. [00:55:15]

Payman Langroudi: You’re just.

Mehy Lo Presti: Happy. Patient. Yeah. Super happy patient that is happy to come and see you.

Payman Langroudi: For the [00:55:20] stream. Let’s dream big. Let’s dream big. Okay, so it’s a beautiful environment. It’s calm because we’re going for that kind of patient. [00:55:25] What next are we talking? Coffee. You know, this whole thing.

Mehy Lo Presti: You can. Yeah, you can have [00:55:30] that. But for me, the key is reception. The host or the first person to receive that [00:55:35] person is the key. This is going to be what it will, uh. [00:55:40]

Payman Langroudi: Manage set the.

Mehy Lo Presti: Tone, set the tone for the rest of the appointment. So [00:55:45] and this is something that, uh, Pugin also discusses. [00:55:50] This is very difficult to do in London, but it’s two different receptions. One for people that [00:55:55] arrive, one for people that live. So when you arrive, you’re not hearing the discussion of someone that’s living, [00:56:00] paying, uh, you know, uh, seeing a [00:56:05] problem or whatever. So it’s a little bit of differentiating both sides. This is a bit hard to do. [00:56:10] And especially in London, we don’t have so much space, but at least, uh, reduce [00:56:15] the amount of information that is given in that space. Some people move the reception [00:56:20] to an office space in the in a back space, if that’s possible, would be amazing. But those [00:56:25] negative issues, negative problems that are happening in the reception or [00:56:30] problems are getting solved. That can also set the tone of the patient and maybe [00:56:35] start feeling like, oh, I’m not sure I’m in the right place. Um, then [00:56:40] sound, you know, like in Kensington, our the rooms are soundproofed. [00:56:45]

Payman Langroudi: Oh, really?

Mehy Lo Presti: So you can’t hear anything from in or out, which is amazing because you [00:56:50] see it and that’s it. If you’re sitting in a in a place and you’re just hearing the drill and all this [00:56:55] sound is like, it can be a bit stressful, especially if it’s your first time and you even, you [00:57:00] can’t even see what’s happening inside, right? And then you can play with a lot of stuff like the [00:57:05] lights, the.

Payman Langroudi: Music.

Mehy Lo Presti: The music, the, the smells. Um, [00:57:10] there is science behind all of this, which is accessible to everyone. But [00:57:15] you need to have a system to to apply all these [00:57:20] things. You know, this is, I think that what we forget we normally have systems in the room. Well, [00:57:25] ish we have a system to actually how to do a composite, [00:57:30] a full math. Everyone knows what needs to be done outside the the the surgery [00:57:35] know, right? So, so this is what needs to be implemented in the system. [00:57:40] Hey, you’re in charge of this. You’re in charge of that. This needs to happen. This is step one, step two, step three. [00:57:45] And then see what works and doesn’t work and take it from there. So if you [00:57:50] start when you start building the clinic, I think it’s important to have those systems in [00:57:55] place written so people can follow understanding, okay, this is what needs to be happening.

Payman Langroudi: Otherwise, [00:58:00] you know, you feel I feel like in dentistry, we don’t have enough people.

Mehy Lo Presti: In [00:58:05] terms of to work.

Payman Langroudi: Stuff.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: I know, I know margins [00:58:10] are tight and all of that is true. Yeah. But I feel like, you know, like [00:58:15] in the way that you’re talking about it is there’s a concierge at the door. I think Robbie also does many, many practices. There’s [00:58:20] someone you’re meeting at the door. That person almost has to be your person until [00:58:25] they go into the dental surgery. And so if there’s another person coming, you know.

Mehy Lo Presti: Maybe not, [00:58:30] maybe not doesn’t need to. You need to hold the hands with that person. It’s just the way you receive that person. [00:58:35] It doesn’t feel like you are going to do a transaction. You know, it doesn’t feel like [00:58:40] you are registering in a hospital to do a surgery. You know why [00:58:45] we don’t take this from spa, luxury spa or hotels [00:58:50] where they actually is like, there’s like, okay, how are you? Very good. Are you going to be doing this? [00:58:55] Just have a seat. Sometimes it’s very transactional and sometimes you’re on the phone [00:59:00] and this and that. It’s a bit stressful and it’s really like.

Payman Langroudi: Well, you know, I go to a lot of dental practices. Yeah, [00:59:05] I’ve been to a lot of dental practices and it’s mad the difference between some and others. You know, there [00:59:10] are some where that what the person is trained to open the [00:59:15] door, shake the hand, or welcome the person with their name. [00:59:20] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Before the person even said anything, they know who they are because we all know [00:59:25] who’s coming in. Yeah, sit them down in another area. Coffee. [00:59:30] What do you want? Flat white or this? And it’s actually delicious. Coffee. Yeah. And they’re sitting [00:59:35] waiting before they go in. Yeah. And then others. Well, we know the other one, right? Where the person [00:59:40] hasn’t even got time to look up from the computer. Yeah. You’re standing a bit uncomfortable [00:59:45] waiting in this patient’s coming in and out and all that and everything, everything in between those [00:59:50] two situations. But it does come down to it like a training point.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I [00:59:55] think so. It’s not easy. No. So like, uh, reception is I think they have the hardest job in [01:00:00] the clinic by far. They get all the hits. They get all the, the, everything that patients [01:00:05] don’t want to say to the dentist, they say to the receptionist, they need to Multitask.

Payman Langroudi: What [01:00:10] about. Okay, now the nuance of the dentist patient interaction. So, [01:00:15] for instance, I’m a hot one for the dentist. Going and getting that patient. Yeah. Rather [01:00:20] than a nurse. Yeah. Not only because a nurse is busy, but because I want to set the tone [01:00:25] between you and the patient outside of the treatment room. Yeah. And [01:00:30] almost that to be dictated by you, insomuch as if you’re going [01:00:35] to be kind and sweet and nice. And how’s your day and all that really just starts. [01:00:40] What’s going to happen? Is that do you get your inpatient? Would you?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. The majority of the times. Sometimes [01:00:45] not if I can.

Payman Langroudi: But yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Going back to this needs to be.

Payman Langroudi: A [01:00:50] system.

Mehy Lo Presti: It needs to be like, you know, the clinic to be like, okay, this is how we do it here. Yeah. [01:00:55] And that’s why we do it. Yeah. You know, and explain it because the problem is if you [01:01:00] have the same patient, I receive the patient, but the same patient goes to see the specialist or your colleague [01:01:05] and doesn’t. It’s already. Oh, it’s too important for me to see me. So [01:01:10] this is the thing. Oh, we all do it or no one does it.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: So that needs to be very [01:01:15] carefully curated.

Payman Langroudi: That’s that’s a really interesting thing is that once you [01:01:20] get people addicted to this place that they’re coming to, it’s often something. [01:01:25] The reason why I remember there was two coffee shops I could have gone to. The reason I [01:01:30] would go to one over the other wasn’t the coffee. It was the free water. [01:01:35] Free water that one of them had just, you know, where the weather apps [01:01:40] of the thing are because there was free water there. I would go there every day and buy my coffee. You [01:01:45] know, obviously water’s not costing him anything. If it was paid water, I wasn’t even going to buy one. [01:01:50] Yeah. So, so, so what I’m saying is this guy may not even have known that [01:01:55] the reason I’m going there is the free coffee, the free water. But for me, that was the thing. And [01:02:00] the interesting notion of what are the things that addict people to businesses, you [01:02:05] know, like.

Mehy Lo Presti: I think, and you can see this on the Google reviews that people live in the clinic. It’s [01:02:10] all the time, 90, 90, but 70% [01:02:15] is about how the reception, how nice was the receptionist, you know, and there’s always [01:02:20] like this, you know, they might talk about the clinician, oh, amazing team and everything. The reception was so nice. Explained [01:02:25] everything. Is this the key person. And you will probably go to this coffee shop. [01:02:30] I doubt this because of the free water, but it’s how the person serving the coffee felt. Made [01:02:35] you feel. Sure. And it’s like, oh, it’s so nice.

Payman Langroudi: By the way, by the way, by the way, every time I’m on my way to a dentist, [01:02:40] I look at the Google reviews. Yeah, many ways of looking at the Google reviews here because [01:02:45] let’s say you’re going to a clinic and it’s got 300 reviews.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. [01:02:50]

Payman Langroudi: Now just from that fact.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: You can tell this guy knows how to operate [01:02:55] a review system. Yeah, yeah. So he’s a professional in that sense. Yeah, yeah. Then [01:03:00] you can read the reviews. Obviously you can read all of them or the [01:03:05] first 100 or whatever. Or you can go straight to the one stars and two stars. Yeah. [01:03:10] See what it is, where they where it, where are they failing often in that situation? It’s unlucky [01:03:15] for a dentist. Sometimes it’s like people who wanted NHS and there was no NHS available. So they go [01:03:20] straight in with a one star review. But me, the way I like to read reviews, you know, at [01:03:25] the beginning there’s the key words that are repeated many times and [01:03:30] I like there’s a one word I’m really looking for and it is feel interesting [01:03:35] the way they make you feel. Yeah. And I’ve noticed the ones where the feel comes [01:03:40] up a lot. Every time when I get there, it’s a brilliant team. Everyone’s happy, [01:03:45] you know. It’s like a nice place to be. Yeah. Now, of course, it could say receptionist. [01:03:50] It could say they’re great words too. They’re brilliant words. Yeah. Receptionist. [01:03:55] Hygienist. But but I’ve found that’s a really good way of sort of looking at reviews. [01:04:00]

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah. That’s true, that’s true.

Payman Langroudi: For the place.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: So are [01:04:05] we going to see this clinic of yours? Do you think you’re never going to be a clinic owner because you don’t define [01:04:10] yourself as a dentist so much as like, that’s because you could do an amazing [01:04:15] clinic.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I always I mean, I’m lucky to, to work in amazing places, you know, [01:04:20] and.

Payman Langroudi: You’re the one on Church Street, Kensington church Street, beautiful place.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: The Kensington [01:04:25] dentist, beautiful place.

Mehy Lo Presti: And, you know, very too much a lot [01:04:30] of attention to detail. And, you know, we do amazing dentistry.

Payman Langroudi: You’re saying you’re [01:04:35] happy and so there’s not a good reason to to leave. Is that what you mean?

Mehy Lo Presti: I mean, I’m in a I mean, look, [01:04:40] it’s I’m very comfortable. I’m very happy. And it’s more about [01:04:45] do you want to be an associate of an or an owner? Yeah. And I think I took the decision [01:04:50] to not put my energy on owning a clinic. [01:04:55] Um, maybe I choose the path on more on the educational side in terms [01:05:00] of like putting my time on building up the in town and [01:05:05] events and do something bigger. Uh, so I think, [01:05:10] you know, it depends and also the ecosystem on owning a clinic. It’s going to, it’s changing, [01:05:15] it’s going to change. Um.

Payman Langroudi: So you’re not sure or have you ruled it [01:05:20] out?

Mehy Lo Presti: I mean, I thought, I’m sure I always think, I’m sure that I wouldn’t. And [01:05:25] sometimes I think, oh, what if I agree? I think, I think I would, I would make.

Payman Langroudi: You do [01:05:30] a good job. You do a good job for sure.

Mehy Lo Presti: I think I would do a nice place and I’m very inspired with the places I [01:05:35] worked. And this is, you know, again.

Payman Langroudi: And it looks it’s an interesting question here. Let’s say you never looked at [01:05:40] global Dental collective, never looked at education, but the amount of effort and time [01:05:45] and thinking time, brain time that you put into those, you put into a clinic. Yeah. [01:05:50] Or, or 11. Yeah. Because you know, your, your contacts with Sarita and all that, you could [01:05:55] go private equity, raise loads of money. It’s possible My wife’s doing that right now, right?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah yeah. [01:06:00] So but it’s interesting to think like that sliding door that started you in the events [01:06:05] education space could easily have been this. And [01:06:10] you know that, you know how we end up sort of persuading ourselves who we are. Like, [01:06:15] like you tell yourself a lie about who you are when you buy anything. You know, it’s like, you know, you could buy yourself a nice [01:06:20] watch. You tell yourself a little lie there. Yeah. About. I’m the kind of person who’s. You know. [01:06:25]

Mehy Lo Presti: Why? Yeah. I mean.

Payman Langroudi: You define yourself in the way it almost makes you feel. The [01:06:30] things you do. Um, it makes you feel good to do education, I’m sure. Yeah, but [01:06:35] I wouldn’t rule it out. I wouldn’t rule out a clinic for you. Yeah. Because I reckon it would be [01:06:40] very, very nice and interesting.

Mehy Lo Presti: I would, I would like if I do it, I would like to do it with friends or with, [01:06:45] you know, a team. I wouldn’t like to do it.

Payman Langroudi: I know what you mean. I know what you mean. Yeah. Because maybe I’m like you [01:06:50] as well. Yeah. There are things I’m really good at, and there’s things I’m really, really bad at. I don’t [01:06:55] need partners for those other bits.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah, I don’t think, you know, I’m a good curator. I can, [01:07:00] you know, I’m a good person on saying we’re going that direction. The daily [01:07:05] management of people I would struggle, I would struggle and it’s something I struggle. I’m not confrontational [01:07:10] at all. So I was, you know, I can’t tell people to do things [01:07:15] and that’s a big problem. I know what you mean. So [01:07:20] I always think, you know, and it’s always there in the back of my head, oh, what if you know, [01:07:25] but, you know, I’m happy with what I’m doing. Uh, it gives me a lot of freedom [01:07:30] too. And this is also something that’s priority in my life, especially, you know, we live kind of [01:07:35] in between Spain and here. We spend a lot of time there, um, a lot of time here. [01:07:40] So having a base, it would kind of make me stuck in [01:07:45] a place. And this is something that is the reason number one, probably of why not why I’m not doing it. [01:07:50] So that’s why if I can do it with people that, you know, I don’t have to be 100% a [01:07:55] formula where I could bring my part to it. Yeah, I could [01:08:00] work.

Payman Langroudi: In another universe. Yeah, you and Sarita could have done an interesting Dental business [01:08:05] because she’s she’s she’s. She seems pretty good at telling people what to do. She’s. Yeah. [01:08:10]

Mehy Lo Presti: I know that. No, she’s, [01:08:15] uh, I don’t know if she she doesn’t like much the Dental world. She sees [01:08:20] the struggles and she prefers to be a bit [01:08:25] step back from the the patient connection. She likes to work with. [01:08:30] Now she’s working with gynaecologists, with fertility experts. So she would be very good at working with dentists. [01:08:35] Uh, but then when she needs to deal with the with the patients. No, she would [01:08:40] be like, no, no, this is not my, you know, I can’t deal with this, which is understandable. You know, [01:08:45] it’s it’s very hard. Um, but yeah, I think we, you know, we always think about if [01:08:50] we do something together, it would be great. Um is another step in the relationship. [01:08:55] Work together and builds.

Payman Langroudi: Of course, you could go into the fertility world as well. That’s easier. [01:09:00]

Mehy Lo Presti: It’s at this point, it’s way easier that I work for her [01:09:05] than, than than going to the Dental world. And also she she hates events. [01:09:10] She’s like, I don’t know how you do this.

Payman Langroudi: It’s hard. Do you know what it is about events studio? Whenever [01:09:15] I’ve done it, yeah, I’ve. It’s the excitement is so high at the beginning. [01:09:20] Yeah. That, you know, once you think of an idea and you’re going to do it and you’re going to be different and it’s [01:09:25] going to be great. And then if you’ve given yourself enough [01:09:30] time, and I’d say enough time is a minimum of six months, kind of for the marketing [01:09:35] phase, if you like. Yeah. If you have given yourself enough time, the whole of that [01:09:40] six months, you’ve got this worry of, am I going to lose money or not? It’s [01:09:45] a continuous worry. And then the thing I find hardest about events [01:09:50] and maybe hard nosed events managers don’t care. Yeah, but [01:09:55] the better the event is, the less money you make.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, it’s like everything in life. [01:10:00] No, it’s like dentistry.

Payman Langroudi: Like dentistry.

Mehy Lo Presti: Like that’s exactly like dentistry. The dentistry you do, the less money you [01:10:05] make. Yeah, but you know, you need.

Payman Langroudi: That breaks my heart. It breaks my heart that, you know, I want [01:10:10] this event to have the best AV. And I want this event to have the best food and the best experience and the best every [01:10:15] time I add one of those things to it.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, but it.

Payman Langroudi: Takes it takes from the and you see event [01:10:20] companies who don’t give a give a damn as much. Yeah. And because that’s their business. [01:10:25] Right. And so they’ll have 500 people sitting in front of a plasma screen. Yeah. [01:10:30] Can’t bring myself to do it, man, I wish I could.

Mehy Lo Presti: I wish I could. My life would be way [01:10:35] easier. Yeah, but I think things are changing. [01:10:40] Yeah. I think those events are going to struggle. They are struggling.

Payman Langroudi: To pull their socks.

Mehy Lo Presti: Up. Yeah. [01:10:45] And and, you know, this is like everything, you know, it’s not only events like you build a house. The. The [01:10:50] more quality you put in the materials, the less money you’re going to make. So it depends on how you budget [01:10:55] it. And you know, we, we try to and we’ve been trying [01:11:00] to cover costs to hire people to do better things and grow and grow and grow and [01:11:05] get professionals that they do. Uh, they know how to do this in a, in a very good way. And this [01:11:10] has been our, our reason. But yeah, I agree. Like everything, the better [01:11:15] you do things, the less money you’re going to make until probably at some point, they value it enough [01:11:20] to pay the, the price. [01:11:25]

Payman Langroudi: It’s six months of pain, you know. So whenever I do an event, it’s very painful. I mean, whenever I do an event, [01:11:30] I actually feel like it’s detracted from my core business.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. It takes like I don’t sleep. [01:11:35]

Payman Langroudi: And also it also adds to the core business, but the amount of work and pain and effort that goes in. Yeah. [01:11:40] If I put that into teeth whitening, I can probably get a bigger return. But there is something magical [01:11:45] about them.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, this is the thing, you know, And this is what people are going to events. And I [01:11:50] see this a lot and underestimates the time and effort. It is how hard it is. And [01:11:55] so I see.

Payman Langroudi: The risk here. The risk is.

Mehy Lo Presti: You know, and is it worth it? You know, [01:12:00] like at the end, like I see like, you know, we’ve seen a lot of events that they do one, two and [01:12:05] that’s it.

Payman Langroudi: But you’re a glutton for punishment. Like as soon as your event’s finished, you’re thinking of another event.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, [01:12:10] yeah, I released it straight out straight in the same event. You’re constantly running 20, 2728. [01:12:15]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, you’re constantly you have the headache, right?

Mehy Lo Presti: You have to, you have to because you know. [01:12:20]

Payman Langroudi: The speakers.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, you need to, especially places to, if you want a good space, [01:12:25] especially in London, you need to almost get it with a year in advance. Um, [01:12:30] and then also, you know, you should launch the same day of the, [01:12:35] when the other events. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you know, at least you get traction. Uh, [01:12:40] people don’t understand why we do. So the problem of that you’re saying is like 45% [01:12:45] of the people. They tend to buy their tickets the week before [01:12:50] or two weeks before the event. This is a nightmare, right? So we [01:12:55] do all this early birds and offers, and we are trying [01:13:00] to, uh, compensate people buying early to [01:13:05] at least knowing what are we doing, right? It’s not because we’re like, I hate [01:13:10] it that we are trying to be pushy and helping people and facilitating people to buy that they’re [01:13:15] going to buy. Yeah, yeah. But for us, you know, it’s better for our peace of mind if they buy now. [01:13:20]

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, for sure.

Mehy Lo Presti: Than if they buy the week before. And I’ll be honest, I’m the worst. I also [01:13:25] buy the day before, you know, and.

Payman Langroudi: I buy on the day.

Mehy Lo Presti: On the day. So, [01:13:30] you know, I know that we and we’ve sold out all our events and, [01:13:35] uh, we think we’re going to do this again, but [01:13:40] yeah, um, the risk is bigger, right? There’s more people, more costs, more logistics, [01:13:45] and like, more Lenoir. We had 70 people working on the event. [01:13:50]

Payman Langroudi: 70 people.

Mehy Lo Presti: 450 guests.

Payman Langroudi: My goodness.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. Yeah. [01:13:55]

Payman Langroudi: Oh, because it’s food and all that, right?

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, the food waiters, actors, volunteers, [01:14:00] um, the people that are working through the year, like now [01:14:05] we have a team of six, seven people working through the whole year. Uh, [01:14:10] but then you add all the time, you know, production AV so [01:14:15] you have a lot of people. So to put all this together and it’s a lot of [01:14:20] costs that go in advance. Thankfully. Also, we have a lot of like sponsors [01:14:25] that, you know, they support us. Something that was not understanding in the past how the sponsorship [01:14:30] work and why it’s like, you know, it’s the key because people would, you know, need to [01:14:35] pay them otherwise like £5,000 per ticket. Yeah. So, so it’s, it’s [01:14:40] great. And it’s speedboat. By this. The struggle is real. You know, when people like try to do events for [01:14:45] 100 people. Without a [01:14:50] vision or a bigger vision or a direction, it’s not worth it. That’s why we had to change the model.

Payman Langroudi: And [01:14:55] then there’s the other model, right? Which is the year course kind of you mentioned chrissoren type thing. [01:15:00] Have you considered that kind of event? I mean, you know, loads of good teachers.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, we would love to do something [01:15:05] like that.

Payman Langroudi: And there’s a spin off from from this maybe.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, it’s I mean, we [01:15:10] are all about collaboration, you know? And I think there are people way better than us doing [01:15:15] these things. And we would love to, you know, help or to produce a [01:15:20] course done by someone that is already doing it. I don’t think we would [01:15:25] be doing ourselves something like that. Our mission is to do this big downtown [01:15:30] every year where we become a bit the epicentre [01:15:35] of dentistry, where everyone can have something happening in that, in [01:15:40] these two, three, four days, right? And this is this is what we would like to do. Then [01:15:45] through all the year, the Dental events is an ecosystem. Everything needs to [01:15:50] happen. They need to be trade shows need to be courses of one day or two days, one year long. But [01:15:55] we love to collaborate with other events that. How can we amplify [01:16:00] the experience of what they do already? We tried a few things and it’s amazing.

Payman Langroudi: It’s an interesting idea, isn’t it? [01:16:05] So let’s say you’ve got some guy who’s a good teacher but can’t be bothered with the [01:16:10] other side. Yeah. And then collaborate and do the other side.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, we’ve done this. We did [01:16:15] this with, uh, Doctor Ernest Lucas. He’s, uh, an incredible [01:16:20] surgeon. I work with one of the most talented surgeons in the world. And [01:16:25] it was, it was the it was what happened. He was like, look, I want to give a [01:16:30] lecture. I’m super busy and I can’t deal with with the rest. It’s like, okay, [01:16:35] we’ll give you the we did it. Hackney Wick in number 90 at Bruno’s pace, we [01:16:40] did a super cool, uh, two days, um, lecture [01:16:45] workshop. And, uh, yeah, it was, it was amazing. So it’s, it’s something that we, we explore [01:16:50] and again, in understanding, okay, how can we twist and improve [01:16:55] what already is on and we trigger all these different, the layouts, [01:17:00] the lights, the way everything is delivered, the food, the [01:17:05] music that they hear is a little bit like the patient experience that we’re talking.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Mehy Lo Presti: Exactly. Yeah. [01:17:10]

Payman Langroudi: So now let’s get to mistakes again while we’re on the events. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made [01:17:15] in events?

Mehy Lo Presti: In events? Wow. Hundreds. Uh. [01:17:20] I think, uh. Probably [01:17:25] like the one I felt a little [01:17:30] bit, uh, that was harder was an event I did about vulnerability. It [01:17:35] was a topic that people were not understanding. And [01:17:40] I think that was a bit. This is where my trigger point was about like, okay, [01:17:45] we want to. I want to do uplifting events. It was a bit of a dark.

Payman Langroudi: It was a downer. [01:17:50]

Mehy Lo Presti: It was a downer. And I didn’t.

Payman Langroudi: Want the thought. The thought you had was the notion of like a [01:17:55] safe space, a safe.

Mehy Lo Presti: Space.

Payman Langroudi: Where you can say anything about your. And so everyone was saying, [01:18:00] oh, they want to be sued and.

Mehy Lo Presti: No. Yeah, it was amazing, you know, but I left that room. I was like, I don’t want to feel [01:18:05] like this in my events. I don’t want to live like this. It’s interesting. Yeah. And [01:18:10] well, and then more and more, uh, it was a big technical, uh, [01:18:15] problem.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, you said the sound.

Mehy Lo Presti: The sound.

Payman Langroudi: It’s interesting.

Mehy Lo Presti: The [01:18:20] sound. We were like, we tested and we tried and everything was okay, but we didn’t count with [01:18:25] having 200 people in the room and everyone was saying. And that was making [01:18:30] a huge sound. So the sound wasn’t clear. Uh, And then [01:18:35] obviously underestimating spaces timings. But that that [01:18:40] was probably the it’s always technical things, always technical things.

Payman Langroudi: I always say to people who are doing events [01:18:45] for the first time, I tell them, listen, think of it as like a wedding or something. We’re [01:18:50] always in a wedding. One thing is going to go very wrong. Yeah, and it’s almost [01:18:55] like you’re waiting for that one thing. And when it happens, you’re like, oh, there it is. You [01:19:00] know, like recognising it almost like in a way, like meditation. You know, when they say, let the problem [01:19:05] come see it, don’t feel it and just push it away from you. Because when [01:19:10] you’re, when you’re ambitious, especially, you’re trying to do things for the first time.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah. But this is the difference [01:19:15] between amazing events, uh, managers or organisers. Those are the [01:19:20] ones that think about everything that’s going to go wrong.

Payman Langroudi: Contingencies.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. And they, and this is what I [01:19:25] learned from, from in the college that I was telling you before, there are people that they do immersive experiences [01:19:30] and you play role models for a week. There’s this this one [01:19:35] of the founders. He created this experience that you were a rock star for two weeks, going [01:19:40] from east to to the West Coast in the United States, doing concerts. [01:19:45] Uh.

Payman Langroudi: People were buying this experience. Yeah. How interesting.

Mehy Lo Presti: Amazing. You know? And, [01:19:50] or he builds this, this world’s where you are [01:19:55] a character and imagine all the things that can go wrong because you need to arrive [01:20:00] to that door and that door needs to open. And it’s like, what if the key is not there? [01:20:05] You know what we do. And then he started thinking about all the things that can go wrong. And this is how [01:20:10] he starts building events from the side of what can go wrong. So [01:20:15] you put step one. Okay, good. Now what can go wrong here? Fine. Solved. Step two. [01:20:20]

Payman Langroudi: Wow.

Mehy Lo Presti: And this is a bit how you can, but there are things that you know you [01:20:25] can’t control.

Payman Langroudi: Shit happens.

Mehy Lo Presti: Shit happens all the time. But this is the beauty. I always say [01:20:30] the day of the event, I go to the venue expecting to solve at least 50 [01:20:35] problems. Yeah. You know, and you have to go do that mentality, you know? And then host the event. And [01:20:40] then people that they have an issue, they haven’t done the issue. They don’t come. They don’t. [01:20:45] Yeah. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: How about what about clinical. Clinical mistakes. We started [01:20:50] on it but we didn’t finish.

Mehy Lo Presti: Uh, I think, uh.

Payman Langroudi: This patient. [01:20:55]

Mehy Lo Presti: Uh, well, hardest patient. I [01:21:00] mean, I’ve been lucky, you know, I didn’t have very, very, [01:21:05] very bad.

Payman Langroudi: No, no, no, no, I just saw it in your eyes there when you when you, I saw it, I saw it. Just [01:21:10] say it. Just say it. Just say it, man, I saw it, I saw it in your eyes. I saw it in your eyes. There’s a story. [01:21:15] Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: No, I think the one I felt was like a full math where, [01:21:20] where we were inserting, like, you know, there were like 24 units and [01:21:25] none of them fitted.

Payman Langroudi: Why?

Mehy Lo Presti: I think maybe [01:21:30] the the impression material didn’t set properly.

Payman Langroudi: Or something.

Mehy Lo Presti: And maybe [01:21:35] shrunk.

Payman Langroudi: Not a single one was fitting.

Mehy Lo Presti: Not a single one. And all of them.

Payman Langroudi: Clearly something [01:21:40] was.

Mehy Lo Presti: Was wasn’t done properly, most likely on my side. Um, obviously [01:21:45] you blame the lab.

Payman Langroudi: But [01:21:50] poor labs.

Mehy Lo Presti: Poor labs. Yeah. Poor labs. Sorry, but yeah. Um, but [01:21:55] yeah, probably that was like, you know.

Payman Langroudi: So what did you done? You taken all the temporaries off and nothing [01:22:00] was off.

Mehy Lo Presti: Then you’re there, you’re like, oh my God, nothing is fitting. And [01:22:05] then you have to take impressions.

Payman Langroudi: Impressions of course. [01:22:10]

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, of course, impressions and retraction cords. Uh, well, yeah. [01:22:15]

Payman Langroudi: When you think it’s about to end and it’s actually right at the beginning.

Mehy Lo Presti: When you’re like there and then like the first one. Oh, okay, [01:22:20] I’ll modify this later if I can second one. And then you start like, okay, it’s all of them. [01:22:25]

Payman Langroudi: Oh my goodness.

Mehy Lo Presti: And then you’re like, you know, you’re like, look. Thankfully, she was [01:22:30] very understanding the patient she was travelling from far to. So, you know, it’s just [01:22:35] like, you feel bad for people, you know, it’s like, what can you do? You know.

Payman Langroudi: That does [01:22:40] sound like a good, good news story in the end though. Yeah. Like a happy ending. Is it was there an unhappy ending? [01:22:45] One where let’s just say, I don’t know the patient, but the patient lost confidence and didn’t come [01:22:50] back. Something like that.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: I mean.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, that happens. That happened once. [01:22:55] And you know, I don’t know what you can do. Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: But what happened? [01:23:00] What was the situation?

Mehy Lo Presti: I think it was a case that they didn’t finish, uh, as [01:23:05] we were expecting. And then the patient was in, you know, uh, [01:23:10] she, she didn’t have trust on that. This would be finishing. I think it [01:23:15] was a liners case. And then, and then we [01:23:20] had to.

Payman Langroudi: Get very picky at the end of the line.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, it makes sense. It’s like a very stressful, [01:23:25] not stressful, but you know, it’s very consuming, right?

Payman Langroudi: And the weird thing, I’ve [01:23:30] been through it myself with my kids. Yeah. That near the end of a line, particularly my wife, who’s a dentist, [01:23:35] becomes almost obsessive about a one millimetre rotation or something. [01:23:40] And then, but the weird thing is, the moment you say, okay, it’s over, then you [01:23:45] never even see that again. You don’t even notice it again.

Mehy Lo Presti: No no, no.

Payman Langroudi: No, but it’s the fact that, you know, this [01:23:50] is your last chance to fix it. You know.

Mehy Lo Presti: You’ve been so like, I don’t know if you were like two years [01:23:55] with aligners or whatever. And it’s like, well, once I’ve gone through, gone through all of this.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah, yeah, [01:24:00] yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, let’s get this millimetre. Right.

Payman Langroudi: So the guy gave up. Thought you can’t do this. Went complained [01:24:05] money back.

Mehy Lo Presti: No no no no no. It’s like I want to see another dentist. And I was like, okay, you [01:24:10] know, I mean, I bet the result was the result was the same, you know, like it’s [01:24:15] how it is, you know? Um, but, uh, yeah, of course I understand, [01:24:20] you know, like people like, most likely it was my fault, you in terms of communication [01:24:25] and setting expectations. Things that you don’t do at the beginning. You don’t know how to set expectations [01:24:30] at the beginning of your career.

Payman Langroudi: Let’s take the fault for everything, isn’t it? Just it’s just correct. You start blaming [01:24:35] the patient. You’re in all sorts of trouble.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, you can’t, you know. Yeah. You won’t go anywhere. Yeah. Um, [01:24:40] of course there are things that are unfair and, you know, but, um, [01:24:45] at the end, you know, understand, you know, patients are going through things. It’s what we were saying. People [01:24:50] have their own problems. Um, and also adding this, uh, [01:24:55] things, but I think it’s the key and this is the problem that we do is setting the right expectations. [01:25:00] Yeah. This is what those cases where things go wrong and things get [01:25:05] upset is because you didn’t say this might happen. Yeah. In a clear way. [01:25:10] And this is it. People don’t get upset because things the treatment is not right. People [01:25:15] get upset because you didn’t tell them that it might go wrong.

Payman Langroudi: Absolutely. Man. If me and you treat [01:25:20] the same patient the same way, depending on what you said and what I said 100%. [01:25:25] It’s a massive difference. You could look like an expert. Yeah. When something fails, [01:25:30] if you’ve warned that it might fail. Yeah. Whereas if I haven’t warned that it failed. I look [01:25:35] like a charlatan. You know, it’s.

Mehy Lo Presti: Surgeons like like ha, like heart surgeon [01:25:40] cardiologists. They do this very well. It’s like a 50 over 50. Imagine you say this to to as.

Payman Langroudi: Long as they come [01:25:45] out alive.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. It’s like 50. Oh, okay. Well, but you know, you don’t you you don’t think he’s he’s [01:25:50] a bad doctor.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: You think he’s an honest doctor and he’s going to do the best for me.

Payman Langroudi: And he knows [01:25:55] what could go wrong. Yeah. That’s another.

Mehy Lo Presti: So the same. You know, I don’t know why we have that fear of telling the patients [01:26:00] like, look, this is going to go wrong or this or this is not going to happen. Um, and then we get in [01:26:05] trouble because of that. And sometimes it’s just a, because we forget. Sometimes it’s because.

Payman Langroudi: You know what it is if you’re an [01:26:10] expert. Yeah. You end up feeling like you’ve, you’ve, you’ve, you’ve, you’re [01:26:15] it’s okay to say what could go wrong. It’s when you’re out of your depth. Yeah. That [01:26:20] it can become a problem. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And often when you’re out of your depth, you cover it up with extra confidence. [01:26:25] You overcompensate with confidence. Yeah. That’s where stuff starts to [01:26:30] go wrong. Yeah. Because if you feel like you know what you’re talking about, telling people about what could go wrong actually [01:26:35] is almost like an extra bit of. Like this guy knows the pitfalls. [01:26:40] Yeah. You know.

Mehy Lo Presti: And also, you know, also, I see it in a way of we not [01:26:45] knowing how to handle certain patients. You know, like some, some kind of certain [01:26:50] energies that you feel a little bit like.

Payman Langroudi: Sometimes you just don’t vibe with them.

Mehy Lo Presti: No, you don’t vibe. [01:26:55] You don’t feel comfortable to tell them how things are. No. And then [01:27:00] you end up treating them.

Payman Langroudi: Have you ever come across a body dysmorphic situation, like [01:27:05] where someone is blaming all their problems in the world on the way your veneers look? [01:27:10]

Mehy Lo Presti: Um, no, I don’t have a problem with that. But I have, you know, you have problems [01:27:15] with people like, you know, getting obsessed with a specific thing for for years. [01:27:20] And then again, it’s a problem of not managing this patient before [01:27:25] starting the treatment.

Payman Langroudi: I was talking to you about it and she was saying that sometimes [01:27:30] what the patients complaining of is so small, but as [01:27:35] long as she can see what the patient is complaining about, she’ll take it [01:27:40] seriously and try and fix it. But she says the danger one is where she can’t see what the patient is saying [01:27:45] 100%.

Mehy Lo Presti: And that’s a good that’s a very good advice.

Payman Langroudi: That’s a good line, isn’t it? A good.

Mehy Lo Presti: Line?

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. [01:27:50] Because if you can’t see it. Yeah, definitely don’t go in like do anything.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah [01:27:55] yeah yeah I agree. And you know it’s our nature, right? We want [01:28:00] to help them. We want to do the best for them. We want to, you know, and it’s not about [01:28:05] the money.

Payman Langroudi: It’s just about you’re absolutely right. In private dentistry, it’s so much more like a service [01:28:10] business. You’re in constant yes mode.

Mehy Lo Presti: You’re not going [01:28:15] to make money out of that case, you know. You know that you’re going to lose money because it’s going to be there. But you want to help. Yeah. And [01:28:20] you still, it’s so hard for us to say, like, I can’t help you, you know, because we feel like we’re failing [01:28:25] them, right? And in a way, you know, you know, you’re going to lose money there.

Payman Langroudi: So have you developed [01:28:30] like a sixth sense about where to say no?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah.

Payman Langroudi: Do you know what [01:28:35] I mean? Do you know what I mean by sixth sense? It’s almost like you don’t know why, but something’s off. Yeah. [01:28:40]

Mehy Lo Presti: But do you know this? As an associate, it’s hard to to take [01:28:45] those decisions right where you want to stop. Treating the patient, you need to be very aligned [01:28:50] with the clinic in terms of like understanding, okay, are we all together? And we don’t [01:28:55] treat this patient or I’m going to say no, and then someone is going to take [01:29:00] it, and then it’s going to be like, you know, you’re going to look bad. And then at the end, it ends up [01:29:05] being a problem for the other person. So it’s, yeah, I have this sixth sense, but sometimes like, [01:29:10] okay, it’s not going to go well, but what do I do here? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So those [01:29:15] are things that also is good to have that conversation with, with the clinic itself.

Payman Langroudi: What [01:29:20] comes to mind when I say favourite book or resource or podcast [01:29:25] or either within or outside of dentistry? Okay. You said that college of experiences, whatever. [01:29:30]

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. Well, now I’m obsessed with anything that is about immersive experience. [01:29:35] Uh, events like the science.

Payman Langroudi: Are you looking into that?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. [01:29:40] Like the science behind the events and how people are, how [01:29:45] everything is evolving and how what people want to make, uh, how, what feeling [01:29:50] they want to have from an event, how to trigger emotions. That’s now I [01:29:55] love all of this stuff. Uh, so I’m very much into it. And it’s cool because [01:30:00] you can apply some stuff to dentistry too in terms of clinical. Um, [01:30:05] I mean, I’m a, I’m a big fan of Pascal Magne, so [01:30:10] his books are always been like a bit like the Bible.

Payman Langroudi: On your shelf, huh?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah. [01:30:15] Uh, so I think this is a book that, you know, you [01:30:20] can, you can, uh, agree or disagree on [01:30:25] techniques, you know, but how everything has been written and the passion behind [01:30:30] for me is like a good principles to have. And then you can modify whatever you think, uh, [01:30:35] in social media, I think, uh, really like how Marcus Blatz has, [01:30:40] uh, transformed, uh, evidence based education [01:30:45] on making it snippets and it’s very, very bite size. I love it and I think it’s, [01:30:50] it’s the way and it’s good to do that. You do it, but you put the reference and then you [01:30:55] go, if you want to go deeper into it, uh, you need to read x, Y, z. But [01:31:00] I think he does it very well and explain the reasons. Again, you can agree or disagree [01:31:05] on, on, on some stuff obviously, but I think it’s a good way of engaging. [01:31:10]

Payman Langroudi: And I mean, the good thing is like, if you want to go deep with him, you can. You [01:31:15] know, for sure that’s the other side of it that, you know, he’s a professor. He knows his [01:31:20] stuff.

Mehy Lo Presti: Incredible.

Payman Langroudi: And yet manages to make it. I always think about education, like almost [01:31:25] like breadth or depth. Yeah. And some people manage both, you know, they somehow manage it. I think [01:31:30] Chris was very good like that. He he’ll give you a lot of breadth if you want to go deep, [01:31:35] he’ll go deep with you. Yeah. But but you know, he manages a good combination of breadth and depth, [01:31:40] you know, in his teaching. I’ve enjoyed [01:31:45] this. I’ve enjoyed this. Good.

[BOTH]: It’s a good start.

Payman Langroudi: As long as [01:31:50] I enjoyed it.

[BOTH]: I enjoyed it, I enjoyed it all. Yeah. As far as we enjoy here.

Mehy Lo Presti: The rest would come [01:31:55] up.

Payman Langroudi: We’ve been going for a long time.

[BOTH]: Yeah yeah yeah yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: I mean we already had a lot of conversations [01:32:00] outside here. So it’s.

[BOTH]: Good to put.

Mehy Lo Presti: It actually summarise it here.

Payman Langroudi: That’s right. But [01:32:05] the final questions that we like to ask Fantasy dinner [01:32:10] party.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, you know that like dinner parties.

Payman Langroudi: I [01:32:15] know you like dinner parties. We go to a very nice dinner parties together.

Mehy Lo Presti: But, uh, you [01:32:20] know, a.

Payman Langroudi: Three guests, dead or alive.

Mehy Lo Presti: Do [01:32:25] you know what I, I, I always thought about these questions, and I always, [01:32:30] I met some people that I really admired and I met them on dinner and I got [01:32:35] so disappointed.

Payman Langroudi: It can happen.

Mehy Lo Presti: It can happen. So I’m kind of like, you know, I stopped thinking. [01:32:40]

[BOTH]: I.

Payman Langroudi: Don’t want to.

[BOTH]: Risk.

Mehy Lo Presti: It. I don’t want to risk it anymore. So, you know, I it would [01:32:45] cost me a lot understanding who would I like to to speak. But for sure, [01:32:50] people that can probably not they’re not famous and they can actually enjoy [01:32:55] having dinners with people that I can learn from and make me speechless. [01:33:00] And I don’t need to talk. Uh, but if you ask me, people [01:33:05] and I’m going to get a bit romantic here, Uh, I think my grandparents are [01:33:10] nice. I think like, uh.

Payman Langroudi: Which which ones?

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, I, I [01:33:15] the all four in the prime. I only met my, [01:33:20] my dad’s mom. She was quite old, so I really didn’t [01:33:25] understand. Uh, where was she coming from? But I would like to understand where I’m coming from, [01:33:30] why I’m being educated this way. How? My parents. Why they’re thinking [01:33:35] that way. And and I think, well, I think no, I know there were brilliant, uh, [01:33:40] what they were doing. And I think I would love to understand why I [01:33:45] do what I do. And I think a lot of it comes.

Payman Langroudi: From a good place to look. Right?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, I think that’s [01:33:50] I mean, I was always no. Yeah. Like we should look at why we do things is where we’re [01:33:55] coming from. And I know that now we try, you know, when you become parents and then you try to break [01:34:00] that, uh, chain of actions [01:34:05] and thoughts and starving a dad, uh, without any [01:34:10] thinking from the past or from your ancestors? Yeah, but I think it’s important to actually [01:34:15] understanding why I believe in things that you do.

Payman Langroudi: So [01:34:20] look, your mom’s side. Very interesting, but I’d like to go into your [01:34:25] dad’s side as far as grandparents. Your dad, you said, was a refugee [01:34:30] from Palestine. Yeah. What was the situation with your grandparents in Palestine? [01:34:35] They were living there.

Mehy Lo Presti: They were living there. They? Yeah, they [01:34:40] were in Palestine. They exist. And, uh, they have, [01:34:45] uh, a great life. Um, my, my, my [01:34:50] granddad actually on the, in the 67 invested all his money [01:34:55] on creating this, uh, factory of, uh. [01:35:00]

Payman Langroudi: In Israel now.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, not in Gaza.

Payman Langroudi: Oh, in Gaza, in Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: And then [01:35:05] basically it got destroyed from one day to the other. All the money that he [01:35:10] made, all his life invested in that factory, that from one end to the other was [01:35:15] gone. And then obviously, you know, my dad.

Payman Langroudi: Did you grandparents [01:35:20] carry on living in Gaza?

Mehy Lo Presti: He so in the 67, uh, my [01:35:25] dad left 66, 67. My dad just before the war, my dad [01:35:30] left. It was six. And with his brother, little brother and sisters [01:35:35] and his mom.

Payman Langroudi: To.

[BOTH]: Wear.

Mehy Lo Presti: To Cairo. And at the age of six, [01:35:40] they told him and his two his older brothers and dad, they stayed in Gaza until [01:35:45] after the war. So with six years old, they told him like, you are [01:35:50] the man of the family now, so you need to look after your [01:35:55] whole family. Um.

Payman Langroudi: And then the repetitions, the repetitions [01:36:00] of the, all the things that have happened in that area. Does [01:36:05] that does that sort of, you know, you were just talking about sort of hereditary. [01:36:10] Hereditary pain and suffering.

[BOTH]: Yeah. Oh, this [01:36:15] is something.

Payman Langroudi: The echoes of that. Like do you feel the echoes of that? Do you feel like. Of course you do. [01:36:20] And you watch what’s happening right now. But do you feel like it’s something that’s going to go into your [01:36:25] kids and.

[BOTH]: Well, this is a great question.

Mehy Lo Presti: And this is something I went through therapy, a very strong [01:36:30] therapy. As soon as, uh, my daughter was born, she was born.

[BOTH]: She [01:36:35] was born.

Payman Langroudi: Right around then.

Mehy Lo Presti: She was born a month after October 7th.

[BOTH]: Wow.

Mehy Lo Presti: And, and [01:36:40] obviously that was a very, very, very, very difficult time for me. Um. [01:36:45]

[BOTH]: Watching what.

Payman Langroudi: Happened to all these other kids.

Mehy Lo Presti: Watching what happened and also not being [01:36:50] able to. I got into a black hole, right? Of thoughts of negativity, of, uh, not [01:36:55] being able to, to do anything. Watching what happens to all of these kids and families [01:37:00] and my own family is still there.

[BOTH]: Still there now. [01:37:05]

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you know, I have first cousins that are there and you [01:37:10] feel like powerless and guilty. And, and my first [01:37:15] worry was, uh, me transmitting this to my daughter. I [01:37:20] was believing I was already, like, projecting this bad energy that she she didn’t, [01:37:25] uh, deserve. And to my wife, which she just gave birth [01:37:30] and she was going through all the postpartum process and I felt like I wasn’t there. [01:37:35] I wasn’t the, the person that I needed. And that made me feel terrible. [01:37:40] And all the aspects from work, from, I mean, even the events, right? I [01:37:45] ended up doing an event about vulnerability. Imagine how, where was my, my, my mind was [01:37:50] in the darkest days of, of my, my, my life. And I [01:37:55] did like a very strong therapy, uh, intense. Where [01:38:00] I managed to see things from from, from perspective. And, [01:38:05] you know, I understood that, you know, I have a massive war already in my house, [01:38:10] right? There’s a big conflict in my house I need to solve. And, and once this [01:38:15] is sorted, I can start looking at the rest of the world. But I can’t solve anything happening [01:38:20] anywhere, you know, and that you make that guilt that you have about like, oh, she [01:38:25] should do something. I can do something. And if I’m not doing it, I’m not a good person. [01:38:30] And, you know, little by little.

[BOTH]: Around.

Payman Langroudi: The same time [01:38:35] you broke with Joe Lovett as well.

[BOTH]: Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Also that was, uh, at [01:38:40] that time. Exactly. So it was everything, you know, like, yeah, it was a lot. It was like, you know, [01:38:45] it was never, it’s never nice to, to, uh, you [01:38:50] know, pathways, pathways with someone that you build something [01:38:55] for one reason or the other. It’s just like, you know, it’s not a positive experience, let’s [01:39:00] say, you know, and it wasn’t, uh, so we, you know, it was.

[BOTH]: Everything was.

Payman Langroudi: Understandable, [01:39:05] even, okay, I’m not connected to the area like you are, but my [01:39:10] wife is from Beirut, which is down the road and all of that, even not [01:39:15] connected to it. You feel it?

[BOTH]: I think so when. [01:39:20]

Payman Langroudi: You’re when you’re connected to it even more. And then and then the repetition, the fact that it’s happened again [01:39:25] and again and again and again, and we forget the number of times in 2016, [01:39:30] one moment and then in 2019, the moment, you know, there’s so many [01:39:35] of those that, you know, come and go in the news, you’re feeling them worrying about your [01:39:40] family. And, you know.

Mehy Lo Presti: It becomes like, okay, every two years you’re going to have one [01:39:45] of those. It’s like a bad flu, right? Every three years you’re going to get bad. This one [01:39:50] was like never ending. Yeah. You know, you think like, okay, it’s going to be another hit. And then it’s just [01:39:55] like, you know, and still, you know, till now it’s still the same. And it’s terrible that you get numb. And we all the humanity, [01:40:00] the whole world got numb. And we are now used to see these things happening. And [01:40:05] we’re not even, you know, we’re so used to now see that kids and people [01:40:10] dead bodies and that it’s just, it’s just crazy, you know, it’s [01:40:15] like, uh, what the world has become.

Payman Langroudi: How do you, how do you square the circle? [01:40:20] I mean, like for me, I, I tend to like, take the other [01:40:25] side’s point of view into account to give [01:40:30] some sort of sanity to it.

Mehy Lo Presti: Well, yeah, of course it’s difficult.

Payman Langroudi: It’s so difficult. Like, [01:40:35] how do you manage it?

Mehy Lo Presti: I mean, I mean, I understand why people think in a way [01:40:40] and it’s not their fault. Yeah. You know, like when people they’ve been brainwashed [01:40:45] and thinking that is the right thing. Well, when they see it and [01:40:50] happens, they’re not going to feel bad about it, you know? So I actually think also people [01:40:55] are victims. The people that think this is right are victims of, of, of the [01:41:00] manipulation that they’ve been going through all their lives. And it’s sad to see. And now everything reveals. And not only [01:41:05] that in this, in this conflict, in this war and genocide, [01:41:10] but also in anything that happens around the world, people seeing the extreme [01:41:15] right or extreme left or anything, any extremes and radical radicalism that [01:41:20] that is happening is normal, you know, and this is where you get scared. It’s like, whoa, this [01:41:25] is not probably the word I want to leave for my daughters to, to live. So yeah, [01:41:30] it’s an understanding kind [01:41:35] of, but you know, you also lose respect for a [01:41:40] lot of people and a lot of things around you. And that happened to me over the past two years, [01:41:45] people that I admire. And I thought they were very, very intelligent people. [01:41:50] And when you see how they think about certain things, they’re like, whoa, okay, [01:41:55] that’s. I thought, you know, you were more free minded. [01:42:00]

Payman Langroudi: Uh, it’s polarising though. Yeah. Polarises you into one direction or [01:42:05] another. It’s one of those one of the biggest.

Mehy Lo Presti: There is nothing, nothing polarising about being [01:42:10] in favour of humanity and genocide. You know, you can have political views. Okay, I understand [01:42:15] you have your reasons. Financial reasons? Historical reasons, I don’t know, but there are things [01:42:20] that there is no side or the other. It’s just, you know, you actually.

Payman Langroudi: You [01:42:25] see it a lot with Iranians here because, uh, we feel like our country got destroyed [01:42:30] by religion. Yeah. And, and you see it with Iranians who, who, who see, [01:42:35] see what’s going on in, in Gaza. Yeah. And almost see it as like a necessary thing that needs [01:42:40] to happen for us, for us to get. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And lose humanity in [01:42:45] that moment. Like lose humanity in that moment. Yeah. You know that [01:42:50] the the the four year old child has got nothing to do with this [01:42:55] guy’s issue with Iran in 1978. Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: Exactly. And this [01:43:00] is the problem that the people are using religion and they’re using.

Payman Langroudi: Believe in [01:43:05] God.

Mehy Lo Presti: Oh, I think I believe in God, not in [01:43:10] the not in how the religion says [01:43:15] that God is. You know, I probably don’t.

Payman Langroudi: Did you pray?

Mehy Lo Presti: No.

Payman Langroudi: So what do [01:43:20] you believe then?

Mehy Lo Presti: I think there is. I believe in energies. I believe that, you know, [01:43:25] there’s, you know, things that just don’t happen because they’re happening. I believe that.

Payman Langroudi: There’s more to [01:43:30] it than we can see and feel to it.

Mehy Lo Presti: And there’s more more things in between us than what we can [01:43:35] see. Yeah. I don’t think there is anyone judging if we’re gonna go to hell or [01:43:40] no, I don’t think there’s anyone.

Payman Langroudi: No one watching.

Mehy Lo Presti: I don’t think anyone is watching karma. Karma. [01:43:45] Kind of like I could I could feel I could feel that, you know, uh, good [01:43:50] things would happen to you.

Payman Langroudi: If you do good things.

Mehy Lo Presti: If you good things, you, you might attract [01:43:55] good things.

Payman Langroudi: It’s practically obviously right. Practically. Obviously you’ve been good to [01:44:00] me. I’m going to be good to you. Yeah. So that’s a practical thing. But do you believe there’s more to it than [01:44:05] that, even? Like.

Mehy Lo Presti: I think so. I think I think, you know, if you expect that if I’m good to you [01:44:10] expecting that you’re going to be good to me. I don’t think that’s the that’s.

Payman Langroudi: The way it just it is, it is.

Mehy Lo Presti: It’s going [01:44:15] to be like this. You know.

Payman Langroudi: We’ve had some excellent interactions. My future interactions with you will be excellent [01:44:20] whatever happens because we’ve had amazing like I’ve always liked you. We’ve hugged each other. We’ve we’ve we’ve [01:44:25] you’ve been nice to me. I’ve been nice. Karma. Karma is practical. Yeah, I think so.

Mehy Lo Presti: But it’s [01:44:30] not, it’s not, it’s not.

Payman Langroudi: It’s nothing more than that. Nothing more than that. Like, you know, a lot of people who believe in karma actually [01:44:35] believe something comes around that goes around, you know, like.

Mehy Lo Presti: I think I think there [01:44:40] is something like that, you know, I think, I think, you know, when, when I wake up and I [01:44:45] see like the sun and the flowers and the beautiful [01:44:50] things. You think that this is happening for.

Payman Langroudi: An overall connection?

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. [01:44:55] And I believe in God in that way. I believe in God. And being on, on, on the beautiful things [01:45:00] that happen. But I don’t believe on someone that’s judging me and observing and thinking, if you do this, you’re going to go [01:45:05] to hell. If you do this, you’re going to go to another place. I think [01:45:10] you know.

Payman Langroudi: So you wouldn’t even characterise yourself. You wouldn’t identify as any sort of religion. [01:45:15]

Mehy Lo Presti: I’ve been raised in a in a my mom was [01:45:20] raised Christian, my dad Muslim. Yeah. So I think I’ve been [01:45:25] raised probably with that culture, Muslim culture, and I understand [01:45:30] the Christian culture. I’ve been. Also, I was going to school and every morning was there [01:45:35] was a pray and.

Payman Langroudi: Actually in Spain.

Mehy Lo Presti: In Spain. So I understand [01:45:40] everything and I’m. And I’m a very lucky position to actually be able [01:45:45] to learn from both sides. Uh, my wife is Italian, so, you [01:45:50] know, understanding her family and their values, which are all the same, you know, and [01:45:55] this is the problem that religion should unify. And the problem was that I don’t believe on [01:46:00] the people that are managing religions nowadays. Right? And how things are [01:46:05] brought.

Payman Langroudi: This is not only nowadays, is it? It’s been through through the ages.

Mehy Lo Presti: Exactly. So that’s why I don’t [01:46:10] think.

Payman Langroudi: You don’t like the organised. Sort of. Yeah.

Mehy Lo Presti: I don’t, I don’t think I don’t believe in [01:46:15] these things, but you know, I respect everything and it’s good to have values. And I like when [01:46:20] religion gives you principles you can work with. And some people, [01:46:25] they just need a guide somehow. I would say maybe they never had it [01:46:30] in their life. Yeah, this is a bit. Sometimes it gets dangerous when, when the, the interpretation [01:46:35] of those books that were written 2000 years ago can go [01:46:40] in a, in a, in a wrong way.

Payman Langroudi: Yeah. I feel like a bit like, I don’t know, it’s a bit like saying, [01:46:45] um, is the army a good thing or not? In a way, yeah. [01:46:50] Like, let’s say I’ve got no sort of structure. Then [01:46:55] joining the army might give me structure, you know, give me discipline. It’ll [01:47:00] teach me right from wrong if you like, if you.

Mehy Lo Presti: Like those values for me is [01:47:05] a bit like, uh, I hate those values, you know? Yeah. You know, one thing is to get [01:47:10] to learn how to be disciplined, but you can learn to be disciplined without guns.

Payman Langroudi: No, no, I [01:47:15] know, I know.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah. So so you know, I agree with you and same from the religion. There are beautiful things. [01:47:20]

Payman Langroudi: There are beautiful things, amazing things. You can use it. You can use it as a structure for whatever.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, exactly. Like, you [01:47:25] know, I, I know the Quran, I know the Bible and you know, and there [01:47:30] are things that you don’t agree, but there are beautiful things that you can take in terms of the [01:47:35] respect for other people, in terms of the generosity, in terms of like there for [01:47:40] a lot of us is common sense, but some people maybe need a bit of a reminder [01:47:45] of, of how, you know, be kind with others.

Payman Langroudi: But also I’ve recently, I [01:47:50] used to have a lot of problem with everything that you said. Yeah, I agree with everything you said. I used to have a problem [01:47:55] with it because of everything that you said. Yeah. But then recently I’ve started treating [01:48:00] all the religions more like a book. Like any book. Yeah, yeah, like there’s some Shakespeare [01:48:05] book that I’m sure it’s beautiful. Yeah, it’s a beautiful thing. Yeah. So I could [01:48:10] look at Christianity and say, yeah, that that message is a beautiful message. Exactly. I don’t have to even bother myself [01:48:15] with was Christ the Son of God or is there a God? Yeah, yeah, I agree. [01:48:20] I can just go to the teaching, you know, just and itself is a beautiful thing.

Mehy Lo Presti: And you can [01:48:25] get inspired by Shakespeare. Like you’re not going to do everything that they did in the book, right? Or, but you can see [01:48:30] like, wow, this is great. And that actually is making me think. So that probably is a very nice [01:48:35] approach.

Payman Langroudi: We pretty much agree on that.

Mehy Lo Presti: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Payman Langroudi: It’s been really, really fun. I’ve really enjoyed it, man. [01:48:40] Thank you so much for doing this. And um, really good. Good luck with Dental.

Mehy Lo Presti: Thank you.

Payman Langroudi: And [01:48:45] all the other stuff that you’re going to do going forward.

Mehy Lo Presti: Thank you very much. And, [01:48:50] uh, thank you so much for having me. Has been a great pleasure.

Payman Langroudi: Always, always.

[VOICE]: This [01:48:55] is Dental Leaders, the podcast where you get to go one [01:49:00] on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [01:49:05] hosts, Payman, Langroudi and Prav Solanki.

Prav Solanki: Thanks [01:49:10] for listening guys. If you got this far, you must have listened to the whole thing. [01:49:15] And just a huge thank you both from me and pay for actually sticking through and listening to what we’ve [01:49:20] had to say and what our guest has had to say, because I’m assuming you got some value out of it. [01:49:25]

Payman Langroudi: If you did get some value out of it, think about subscribing and if you would [01:49:30] share this with a friend who you think might get some value out of it too. Thank you so, so, so much for listening. [01:49:35] Thanks.

Prav Solanki: And don’t forget our six star rating.

[VOICE]: This is Dental Leaders, the [00:00:05] podcast where you get to go one on one with emerging leaders in dentistry. Your [00:00:10] hosts Payman Langroudi [00:00:15] and Prav Solanki.

Prav Solanki: Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure [00:00:20] to introduce Andy Sloane to the Dental Leaders podcast. Andy Sloane [00:00:25] is my boss. He’s my first boss and the only boss I’ve had, [00:00:30] and he’s the best boss I’ve had. And it’s one of the most common questions that I get asked. [00:00:35] Having been a business owner for the last 1819 years, never having had [00:00:40] an employer, I always lived by the. I guess for me it was [00:00:45] always like Prav is totally unemployable because he will do what he wants to do. He [00:00:50] will behave how he wants to behave. And, you know, we’ll talk about the acquisition and [00:00:55] everything a little bit later. But it was at that point where everything had gone [00:01:00] through and it’s Andy Sloan is your boss now. And it’s like, bloody hell, what’s this going [00:01:05] to be like? And people ask me, what’s he like as a boss? And I say, if [00:01:10] I could have dreamt up a scenario within a Julio where I had the [00:01:15] perfect leadership, the perfect boss and someone who supported me, it [00:01:20] would be you. Thank you. And the reason I say that, Andy, is you just bloody leave [00:01:25] me alone. And when I need you, you are there and you back [00:01:30] me and you support me. So I couldn’t have asked for anything more. But today. [00:01:35] Today is about you, Andy. And what I want the audience to get a sense of is [00:01:40] who is Andy Sloan, the human being behind the guy who has navigated and [00:01:45] bought over a hundred dental practices, who’s run and led the dental [00:01:50] team and built and grown that who’s worked at Henry Schein. And I’m sure [00:01:55] we sure we’re going to uncover more that I’ve not heard about. But I just [00:02:00] want to start the podcast. Andy, by learning about you as a child growing up, [00:02:05] just give me a brief synopsis of what Andy was like as a kid growing [00:02:10] up where you grew up. Um, and take us through that journey.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. Thanks, [00:02:15] Prav. And, um, this is the podcast I’ve been waiting to come on. So this, this [00:02:20] is the kind of big one. So, uh, I feel like I’ve made it now. Uh, thank [00:02:25] you for those kind words as well. Where did I grow up? So I grew up on the Wirral in the northwest. [00:02:30] Um, I am one of three boys and I’m [00:02:35] an only child as well. So my mum and dad were both married before they got together and, um. And [00:02:40] I’m an only child to that marriage, you know, not we, we we were not wealthy. [00:02:45] We’re, I’m a council house kid and proud of it as well. Um, but what [00:02:50] we did have, um, and I get emotional because I’m very emotional. So thinking back, you kind of do that, so I apologise. [00:02:55]

Prav Solanki: Of course you do. Of course you do.

Andy Sloan: What we did have is two [00:03:00] parents that drove us and said, you’re better than this and [00:03:05] you need to. They couldn’t give us things and stuff like that. And it was [00:03:10] kind of like, you need to work for yourself if you want to kind of get far. And [00:03:15] they drove us and, um, I had a happy childhood. I’m not going to lie. Two older brothers [00:03:20] beat the crap out of me. Yeah. Um.

Prav Solanki: How much older were [00:03:25] they? Were they than you, Andy?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. So my, my, the next brother is, um, six [00:03:30] years older and the other brother is over ten. So I didn’t see the older one as much because [00:03:35] he was off working, you know, and stuff like that as I was kind of growing up. And then he moved out. Um, [00:03:40] he moved out when he was quite young. He got a job and moved out and my other brother then went to university. So [00:03:45] I was kind of, um, I was then on my own with, with, with my parents, which, which was fine. I [00:03:50] wasn’t always an easy child.

Prav Solanki: Um.

Andy Sloan: So I’ll [00:03:55] take you forward a little bit. Now, we just had parents evening with my eldest son, Livy.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And it [00:04:00] was like going back in time, listening to to what they were saying about him, which [00:04:05] is he’s got the aptitude, but he hasn’t always got the attitude. Mhm. And what they meant by [00:04:10] that is, um, uh, clever, but clever [00:04:15] and lightning were the two things that describe me. We moved, my dad got, um, promoted [00:04:20] in his job, and we managed to move out of the council estate and moved to a place called [00:04:25] Seacombe, which is still on the world. But and I remember that that being a huge step [00:04:30] up for us, we kind of felt like we, you know, risen a little bit, if that makes [00:04:35] sense. Yeah. And, and, and that was great. And, and I made lifelong friends when I [00:04:40] moved from Lizzo to, to seek him. And it was going really, really well until one day [00:04:45] my dad did something at work and got fired and it crashed everything down around [00:04:50] us. Um, he was the foreman. He was earning good money then and [00:04:55] life was good. But then, for one silly mistake that he made, the whole thing came crashing [00:05:00] down. And he never recovered that position from that point on. And and life became harder [00:05:05] again. So at the age of 14, I had two jobs. I did a paper round in the morning [00:05:10] and then worked in the newsagents after school. By the time I was 15, I had three jobs. [00:05:15] I did both the paper round, worked in the newsagents and worked in a chippy on a Friday and [00:05:20] Saturday night. It was the best thing about that was fish and chips at the end of the day.

Prav Solanki: Yeah, yeah, [00:05:25] yeah.

Andy Sloan: So um, that, that, that, that was kind of, um, the way that, that, [00:05:30] that I was brought up and, and, and I think whether or not I’ve got the work ethic [00:05:35] is, is debateable but what I wanted to do is, uh, have [00:05:40] more. So from an early age, have more. I was one of the only kids around [00:05:45] with money, you know, because I was working all the time.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And I didn’t [00:05:50] ask my mum and dad for much because I was I was self-sufficient and I, um. [00:05:55]

Prav Solanki: And I just want to stop you there just for a second before we move on. [00:06:00] So you said like you grew up with not very much. Yeah. Um, that can mean so [00:06:05] many things to different people. So can you just sort of paint a picture for me what [00:06:10] that means, either in terms of things or perhaps there were kids around you [00:06:15] who had this that you didn’t or, you know, they were they were running around in Nikes [00:06:20] and you were running around in, in Nicks or as I was growing up, everyone had Rockports and we had [00:06:25] Stockport’s. So, um, just, just paint a picture of what life was like [00:06:30] growing up and, and, and what made you realise that time as a kid that you had less [00:06:35] than others, or do you understand what I mean?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. It was I mean, it was a general sense. We, [00:06:40] we were very rich in other ways, so we just wasn’t rich, if that makes sense. So in [00:06:45] terms of our family life and the way that my mum and dad fed us and, you know, and [00:06:50] kind of did all that stuff, you couldn’t fault it, you know? So it’s not like we were starving and, [00:06:55] you know, dirty and cold and all the rest of it that the house was a, was a warm, like [00:07:00] rich feeling house. Yeah. It was more material. So [00:07:05] people were going on foreign holidays. We wasn’t. And my mum and dad were working all the way through the summer [00:07:10] holidays because they had to. Me being out on the streets with my friends from [00:07:15] the age of 8 or 9 all day, you know, whilst mum and dad were out working. So it was [00:07:20] just like, I look back on it and for them you could just see that it was hard, it [00:07:25] was hard graft just kind of bring you three kids up and, you know, dealing with life [00:07:30] and all the rest of it. So we wasn’t disadvantaged. We just [00:07:35] wasn’t. We just wasn’t advantaged, I guess.

Prav Solanki: So what [00:07:40] was the message from your parents when when you were growing up? From my from [00:07:45] my dad. I’m brought up in a single parent household, right? My dad’s message was, I’m working [00:07:50] this hard because I don’t want you to have to. Right.

Andy Sloan: Yeah.

Prav Solanki: So [00:07:55] don’t. I don’t want you to repeat what I’m doing right. I want you to be better. And there was always that message. [00:08:00] What was the message from Mum and dad? Was it different from dad than it was from mum? Was [00:08:05] it growing up for you?

Andy Sloan: They were both. They were both very similar in the [00:08:10] fact that they said, don’t stay around here. Right. Go off and experience stuff. [00:08:15] They. They knew if I stayed around there, I would probably have ended up [00:08:20] down the wrong path. And there was times that I started to veer down a wrong path. I got arrested, um. [00:08:25]

Prav Solanki: What for?

Andy Sloan: When I was, I was running over cars. We were where we where we [00:08:30] lived and there was a promenade all the way around the world. We’d been drinking [00:08:35] cider and thought it was funny to jump on bikes and cars and run over the top and jump off the other side and [00:08:40] got caught. I got arrested and kept in the cells overnight because my mum said leaving there. [00:08:45] Yeah. You know. So, um, there was times when I did silly things. [00:08:50] Not nothing. I mean, you could say that is a bad thing. It is, you know, at [00:08:55] the end of the day. But it was that type of stuff. It was, it was childish and immature [00:09:00] stuff, you know, but, but every time they course corrected me and leaving me in a prison [00:09:05] cell overnight was, was hard. I was, I was, uh, I also got caught. My dad used to [00:09:10] have, um, a moped and I got caught on that when I was 14. He’s riding, I’ve [00:09:15] done it. Um, but I got a warning for that. So there’s little stupid things like that, but they always corrected [00:09:20] me and they always said, you know, and it sounds really bad. It wasn’t saying you’re better than this. [00:09:25] They’re just saying we don’t want this for you, so don’t want this environment for you. We want [00:09:30] you to go off and explore other things. And I did let them down. So academically, [00:09:35] I was bored at school from a very early age. Yeah, I knew it.

Prav Solanki: Mhm. [00:09:40]

Andy Sloan: Uh, and I just didn’t put the effort in that I should have. So, [00:09:45] um, when it came to like, uh, exams and stuff like that, they, [00:09:50] they were really busy working and things. So they didn’t have time to kind of push me and sit with me and [00:09:55] coach and mentor me like other families could because they had to work. And then me being [00:10:00] quite lazy, you know, it was all last minute. It was all last minute. And I actually did okay in exams, but [00:10:05] I could’ve done a lot better.

Prav Solanki: Right? Did they turn up to parents evening?

Andy Sloan: Yeah, [00:10:10] so they did. Um, and yeah, they did. One of them did. At least [00:10:15] if they couldn’t be there together, one of them was always there. And, um, as I got into [00:10:20] secondary school, I started to get a keen interest in, uh, drama. Mhm. And [00:10:25] I was the lead in the school play three times. Um, and the reason that I was the lead is because it was [00:10:30] the only one that would sing. Um, and, um, they came to that and they were really, you [00:10:35] know, proud moments for them. Uh, I think after the third time, they were like, let somebody else have a go. Bloody [00:10:40] hell. Um, but yeah, so they were supportive in that way. And um, and [00:10:45] if there was ever any bother, they, they would always have my back, you know, so [00:10:50] um, really supportive from that point of view.

Prav Solanki: Uh, was there any [00:10:55] point while you were at school or, or during that point where you spoke to a careers advisor [00:11:00] or you had a clear idea in your head, this is what I want to do when I grow [00:11:05] up. Did you want to be a racing car driver, an astronaut, a do you know what I mean? Did did you know what [00:11:10] you wanted to do? When I grow up, I’m going to be a no idea, no idea. [00:11:15]

Andy Sloan: And. And I coasted all the way through school with that. No idea. Um, my A levels [00:11:20] were theatre studies, sociology and English language.

Prav Solanki: Right.

Andy Sloan: I [00:11:25] got, um, got a place in Hollyoaks, um, and didn’t, didn’t [00:11:30] take it. My auntie actually got me the discussion with Phil Redmond [00:11:35] and I didn’t go.

Prav Solanki: Why.

Andy Sloan: I bottled it, I don’t [00:11:40] know. I wasn’t confident in my ability, I guess. You know, and I didn’t want [00:11:45] to be. I don’t know, I felt like it had a bit of not imposter syndrome, but I [00:11:50] don’t know why it didn’t go. And that’s not the only occasion I got a job on a Disney Cruise line when I was quite young [00:11:55] and didn’t get that either. Um, and I used to do these things thinking this is [00:12:00] the way that I want to kind of move my life forward, but then divert [00:12:05] onto something else. And, and, and that happened when I was [00:12:10] younger. That happened quite a lot. I ran pubs, I worked in hotels, um, as I was [00:12:15] the youngest licensee in the country. And I just turned 18 and passed my personal license test and [00:12:20] was, was a personal licensee. So there was, there was stuff I was trying, but I just didn’t know. Yeah. [00:12:25]

Prav Solanki: So up until your A-levels, you were working. Yeah. You know, you had this paper [00:12:30] around, you was working in a chippy. What else did you say you were doing.

Andy Sloan: In the newsagents as well?

Prav Solanki: In the in [00:12:35] the newsagents as well, serving customers and that sort of thing. So it seems like from [00:12:40] a very young age, similar to me, I was working in my dad’s shop, right? Always customer facing [00:12:45] very, very early on. And what do you think that taught you in terms of the sort [00:12:50] of skill sets, people skills and stuff like that from from an early age? Do you think that had any bearing [00:12:55] on the way you are today?

Andy Sloan: Yeah, I mean, not the people around [00:13:00] as such, because you didn’t see people, you know, thrown through a door and got off.

Prav Solanki: Yeah, yeah.

Andy Sloan: But what [00:13:05] I did do is, is, is give me, um, a work ethic because I had to get up if it was raining, if [00:13:10] it was snowing, if it was sunny, people wanted their papers. They didn’t want excuses. You had to deliver. [00:13:15] So that gave me, you know, that kind of you’ve got to do this and there isn’t [00:13:20] that. Yeah. And I used to remember a Christmas, you know, getting all the tips and thinking, this is great and stuff like that. I don’t [00:13:25] think people do that now, but um, papers delivered anymore. So so that was great. [00:13:30] Um, in the newsagents. Uh, yeah, it was converting, it was the local community, you [00:13:35] know, um, people come in and talk to you and and that was good. And I’ve always been quite [00:13:40] a confident communicator. Maybe not as articulate as it could be, but and [00:13:45] I do tend to waffle at times, but I do, I do like, um, people like [00:13:50] people person. And that came from an early age. The chippy was slightly different because it was a Chinese [00:13:55] chippy and the owners didn’t speak a lot of English. Um, so that kind of taught [00:14:00] me how to navigate through situations and, and kind of establish myself in [00:14:05] that chippy. And, and I had, I had some good times. I had some good times there, to be honest with you. You [00:14:10] know, the kids could speak more English than the kind of parents. Yeah, got to know them, stuff [00:14:15] like that. So I think each one did give me something and it actually led to what I did after [00:14:20] A-levels, really, which is I went to Wigan Tech to do a HND in [00:14:25] hotel catering and institutional management, and that was because of all of that stuff. [00:14:30] That kind of made me think, well, maybe hospitality and, you know, is the way forward [00:14:35] for me. Yeah. I didn’t get the, um, a levels that I wanted to get to go [00:14:40] to university. So wig and tech was kind of like the fallback, if that makes sense.

Prav Solanki: But yeah, [00:14:45] yeah.

Andy Sloan: I moved out, moved to Wigan, loved Wigan and started that [00:14:50] HMD, which was brilliant for the first time, and then I sacked it off. Y [00:14:55] I’ve got a job in the 80s wine Lodge and [00:15:00] uh, and they offered me digs above the wine lodge as well. [00:15:05]

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: As a bar supervisor. And I just thought [00:15:10] that that was a better path for me than academia [00:15:15] type thing. Do you know what I mean? I don’t enjoy, I don’t enjoy academia at all. But, [00:15:20] uh, I did enjoy, I did enjoy the kind of customer element. So I did, I left and [00:15:25] my parents were really, really annoyed with me. Um, but I left and said, right, I’m moving [00:15:30] in above a pub. Up, and I’m going to be the bar supervisor of it, and I did. [00:15:35] And, you know, I worked in Yates Wine Lodges in Wigan, Blackburn, [00:15:40] Manchester. And so I moved around because Yates wanted me [00:15:45] to, you know, to, to go to different sites and help out. So quite early on as [00:15:50] a very, very young individual, I was, you know, somebody that could go in and fix things for people. [00:15:55]

Prav Solanki: What problems were you fixing back then, Andy. So, so as a bar supervisor or [00:16:00] someone saying, right, can you go to Manchester, Blackburn or wherever it is? What sort [00:16:05] of problems were you going in and fixing at a very young age?

Andy Sloan: So people thieving. No, no, no, [00:16:10] that was one of the biggest things.

Prav Solanki: Right?

Andy Sloan: Stealing our hotels and stuff. Ttyl’s not balancing, you [00:16:15] know, and not having controls in place to make sure that when a shift changed, as an example, [00:16:20] the tills were checked because all the staff were blaming each other for tills being down and stuff like that. So [00:16:25] going in and helping with that type of stuff. Um, a big one was stocktake. So stop [00:16:30] takes being well off. What they should be. And so I go around. Yates’s wine lodge and [00:16:35] work with the manager and make sure the stock takes were done properly and documented properly. [00:16:40] Um, or I did this um in Blackpool, I went and relaunched [00:16:45] the menu for them. I’m not a chef. Uh, I don’t know what I was doing, you know, [00:16:50] but they said, oh, you did a h d for a return.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And you go in there and launch a menu. [00:16:55]

Prav Solanki: Uh, put a menu together.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, yeah, which I did. I worked with the chefs there. We launched it, we got local [00:17:00] press involved and stuff. So I was doing stuff like that quite early on and I really enjoyed [00:17:05] it. I did really enjoy it. Um, I progressed from the 80s wine lodges into McDonald [00:17:10] hotels and not the Golden Arch. Mcdonald, a Scottish company.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: I [00:17:15] remember going for an interview at a place called Craxton Wood Hotel, [00:17:20] which is on the Wirral. It’s, uh, a rosette four star, privately [00:17:25] owned hotel by a guy called Tony Petrenko. A little Italian. French guy.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: He [00:17:30] said, so what experience have you got? And I said, I’ve worked in Yates Wine Lodges. And he just looked at me and [00:17:35] was like, but he took a chance on me. You know, he gave me a job as a general assistant. That was my job title. [00:17:40] You couldn’t get much more broad. You know, uh, everything just landed on the general [00:17:45] assistant and, um, worked with him, um, for a number of years, and he upped my game. [00:17:50] Silver service, um, cocktail bar. And, you know, his, he was [00:17:55] renowned for quality of Liverpool football players used to go to the restaurant all the [00:18:00] time, you know, Jan Molby, Ian Rush, they were all like regulars of this place. And he was [00:18:05] like a mini celebrity. Tony, you know, people, he’s quite enigmatic [00:18:10] and I, I sucked that up. I watched him, I learned from him every skill that [00:18:15] I could get that he wanted to teach me. And then one day he called me in and said, I’m selling [00:18:20] the hotel. He was getting on a bit, you know? So he was like, it’s my time. [00:18:25] I’m gonna retire. I’m gonna sell it to this company called MacDonald hotels. Um, and [00:18:30] we want you to stay along with the transaction and become the assistant [00:18:35] manager of the hotel with the new with the new ownership, um, [00:18:40] which was massive, you know.

Andy Sloan: So I did the led the transaction well, didn’t lead the [00:18:45] transaction hotel transaction, but I was the, I was the, the continuous [00:18:50] part of the transaction, if that makes sense. So I was involved in it because I was [00:18:55] going to be taking part ownership of it kind of after, after the event and, [00:19:00] and stayed with MacDonald hotels. And then what happened is the same thing at Yates Wine Lodges. I got [00:19:05] called up to Scotland and I was sat with like a one of the directors and he said, [00:19:10] we think you would be really good if we if you go around different hotels [00:19:15] where we’ve got challenges and problems and help, you know, help with that. And he said, so [00:19:20] we want you to be like an area relief strategy, whatever, whatever. And I went off and did [00:19:25] that. And I worked in probably eight different hotels over a period of time doing different things, [00:19:30] but they were similar in nature. So problems with staffing, problems with banking, [00:19:35] you know, stock takes that type of stuff or not performing as good as they could and [00:19:40] trying to understand why the gross margins were off, you know.

Prav Solanki: So yeah.

Andy Sloan: Quite similar [00:19:45] in vein and quite strategic as well.

Prav Solanki: But you had no formal training [00:19:50] in accountancy. You had no formal training in business per [00:19:55] se or any of that. Right. You’d I guess you’d been under Tony’s wing for [00:20:00] a while. You’d worked in the shop. Um, you’d done what you’d done at Yates’s Wine Lodge and I [00:20:05] guess just picked all these bits and pieces up on the job, right?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. Yeah. No, absolutely. [00:20:10] And, um, and it was, it was all self-taught, you know, there wasn’t really other than [00:20:15] like Tony Dam teaching me how to, how to make a Negroni and stuff like that. Um, which [00:20:20] I still make a very good Negroni, by the way. Then there wasn’t really a lot that had been [00:20:25] formally trained to do so. It was kind of like on the job, make it up. Hope [00:20:30] for the best type stuff, which for whatever reason just seemed to kind of work for me. [00:20:35] And I had quite, quite a good experience with them until [00:20:40] one move and I moved to Northumberland, a concert in County [00:20:45] Durham, and I was the, I was the deputy manager [00:20:50] of the hotel, the Royal Hotel and um, the hotel got burgled [00:20:55] by gunpoint and I was in involved in that and I just had [00:21:00] to come home. It was, it was horrendous. It’s delicious. You can see now.

Prav Solanki: Yeah, yeah. So you were [00:21:05] you were there when that happened?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. I was held up by gunpoint as they robbed the hotel. Wow. [00:21:10] It was a really bad experience, but, um, the [00:21:15] hotel was out in the sticks in concert. It was remote, you know? So when [00:21:20] these people were doing what they were doing, there was just no one there to kind [00:21:25] of help and support. So.

Prav Solanki: How old were you then, Andy?

Andy Sloan: God. Uh, [00:21:30] early 20s. Right. Um. So, um. Yeah. Young lad. [00:21:35]

Prav Solanki: Terrified.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. After that cop show. Up until that point. Yeah. [00:21:40] Didn’t want to be there. Too remote for me. Confidence gone. Came [00:21:45] home, quit. Came home. And my mum and dad had moved into a smaller house. And they downsized then. [00:21:50] And I had a box room. And I remember getting back there with my bags and thinking, oh, God, [00:21:55] I’m back. You know, I’m back here. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.

Prav Solanki: Do this.

Andy Sloan: For long. Uh, [00:22:00] and, and you could see that for them, it was probably an inconvenience, me [00:22:05] being back. Yeah. You know, um, it would never say that.

Prav Solanki: And of course [00:22:10] not.

Andy Sloan: Um, you kind of settle back into family life, but it wasn’t going to be long. So I decided [00:22:15] that I was going to have a career change at that point And.

Prav Solanki: Do you quit your job [00:22:20] at this point?

Andy Sloan: I did. I quit and immediately.

Prav Solanki: And then [00:22:25] so for a period of time, you were without a job. And then in your mind, at that point in [00:22:30] your life, were you sort of thinking, well, what is my next move? Did you have an [00:22:35] idea what what was that going to be?

Andy Sloan: No. So I decided I didn’t [00:22:40] want to be in hospitality anymore.

Prav Solanki: Right.

Andy Sloan: And not just because of [00:22:45] the the kind of what happened at the Royal diamond, but the hours, everything else it you know, [00:22:50] I just thought, I just can’t do that. I also wanted to [00:22:55] I started to get a little bit frustrated with being moved from a hotel to a hotel, [00:23:00] if that makes sense. You kind of made friends and settled down for a little period of time, and then as soon as you [00:23:05] kind of feel comfortable, the director calls you and says, I need you in another hotel and you can start all [00:23:10] over again. It was quite draining to do that, you know, over and over.

Prav Solanki: Just out of curiosity, is [00:23:15] he, as a young 20 something year old lad. Obviously he was hopping from hotel to hotel. [00:23:20] Where were you living at this point? In the hotels.

Andy Sloan: Or in the.

Prav Solanki: Hotels? In the hotels?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. [00:23:25]

Prav Solanki: Was there ever any opportunities for relationships and stuff like that? What about the personal [00:23:30] side of your life that sort of developed? Had you met Lynette at this point or.

Andy Sloan: No, no [00:23:35] no no no. So there’s nine years age gap between me and Lynette. There’ll be something [00:23:40] very wrong. Uh, yeah. No. So I hadn’t met her then. I’ve always. [00:23:45] I’ve always had girlfriends. I think in my in my whole lifetime, there’s [00:23:50] probably only a period of maybe two years that I’ve not been with someone.

Prav Solanki: Mhm. [00:23:55]

Andy Sloan: I’m the type of person that has to be with someone.

Prav Solanki: Mhm.

Andy Sloan: I’m not good on [00:24:00] my own. Um, and I’m, I’m self aware of that. Um, so relationships [00:24:05] have always been a part. When I was in school, I had a girlfriend [00:24:10] all the way through high school. And then when I was a wig in tech, I met a [00:24:15] girl from Manchester and we were together for a while, and when I was in hotels, I met someone [00:24:20] at Craxton Wood. Do you know when we. She actually moved with me to [00:24:25] some of these hotels. So. Yeah, always, always a big part [00:24:30] of what I do. Yeah. What I am, I guess is, is, is the relationship side of things. [00:24:35] And, and I did make sure I made time for that. I probably wasn’t the best boyfriend in the world, if you want me to be honest [00:24:40] with you.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: Hard work, I would say. Um, but, um, [00:24:45] fun. I like fun. Uh, I still like fun now. Um, fun doesn’t like me as much anymore, [00:24:50] but I do still like it.

Prav Solanki: How how does that go hand in hand when you’re sort of [00:24:55] running these hotels, pubs and things like that? I take it you, you [00:25:00] know, you have these, I guess, you know, you you’re a drinker, you’re a manager, you’re a [00:25:05] does that all just go hand in hand with the industry because you’re socialising [00:25:10] and, you know, obviously there’s a line between you and your guests and stuff, but you’ve got your colleagues and stuff like [00:25:15] that is, is that part and parcel of the lifestyle, so to speak?

Andy Sloan: It is. And, you know, [00:25:20] it’s one of the reasons not not just the situation that happened, but, uh, I [00:25:25] was a smoker. Yeah. And it was in those days, [00:25:30] people were smoking in the offices. You know, those ashtrays on desk?

Prav Solanki: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Andy Sloan: So, um, [00:25:35] if you didn’t smoke, you know, you were looked, it looked oddly at, um, especially in those [00:25:40] type of industries and, and alcohol was a big part of it as well. And I think alcohol was taken over a little [00:25:45] bit.

Prav Solanki: Mhm.

Andy Sloan: And I still today got a very fine [00:25:50] line relationship with alcohol.

Prav Solanki: Mhm.

Andy Sloan: There has been alcoholism [00:25:55] in my family’s past, you know. Um, and so I’m always conscious of that. [00:26:00] And I, I wanted to remove myself from a situation where it was readily available because. And [00:26:05] when I was 18, I was driving back from Manchester and, um, [00:26:10] I got pulled over by the police and I was over the limit and got prosecuted for drink [00:26:15] driving.

Prav Solanki: Right.

Andy Sloan: That was a kind of realisation point at that point in time. There’s been [00:26:20] different things that have happened that have just basically said hospitality is probably not for you. That’s [00:26:25] the only time I didn’t leave it for good. And we’ll come to that in a second because it’s how I met my wife.

Prav Solanki: Right? [00:26:30]

Andy Sloan: But, um, yeah, I did for that period of time, I decided hospitality is done. [00:26:35] I’ve had a riot. I’ve enjoyed it and it’s time to move on. So it’s [00:26:40] back at home. And I was like, I need to, I need to get a job. So I looking in the newspapers [00:26:45] because we still looked at jobs in newspapers. Then there was a Blue Arrows temp agency. [00:26:50] They were looking for outbound telemarketers for, um, a credit card company. And [00:26:55] I thought, I’m going to give that a go. And it was a temporary contract. There was no opportunity [00:27:00] loan or no promise of a permanent one and rocked up at M, B [00:27:05] and A, which is now Bank of America, which is now Lloyds Bank In Chester [00:27:10] and got the job. And next thing you know, I was a telemarketer and loved it. Found [00:27:15] found this niche that was just like, I’m phoning people up when they’re watching Coronation [00:27:20] Street and trying to sell them a credit card, you know, and some selling PPI [00:27:25] and, you know, the insurances and all that type of stuff. And I was just natural at it. Um, [00:27:30] and I was earning good money. So I moved down to my mum’s. Yeah. And if you know Chester, [00:27:35] there’s a place in Chester called Curzon Park, which is probably one of the nicest areas [00:27:40] of Chester overlooking the racecourse. Uh, and took a house share with a couple of [00:27:45] other lads from me. And, um, I moved in there. We were making money hand over fist. Prav. [00:27:50]

Prav Solanki: Right.

Andy Sloan: You know, all.

Prav Solanki: These decent commissions.

Andy Sloan: Loads of commission. [00:27:55]

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: Um, it was, it was bad in a way, because [00:28:00] like, PPI was a big part of our commission drive and now, you know, everyone was mis sold PPI. [00:28:05]

Prav Solanki: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Andy Sloan: I can I take credit.

Prav Solanki: By you?

Andy Sloan: Yeah, yeah, by. The [00:28:10] insurance companies were throwing money at you. He won a [00:28:15] mini for selling insurance on credit cards. So it was A and N, B and A. The [00:28:20] 4500 people worked at M, B and A at the height 4500 people. [00:28:25] Uh, and it was like a party. It was such a good company to work for. They used [00:28:30] to have different things above the door. Think of yourself as a customer, above every door in the building [00:28:35] and on the walls. Complacency is devastating. And you used to get this preset [00:28:40] card and it was like as an NBA person and it kind of lists your tribal. [00:28:45] And I loved all of that. I was really bought into it. Um, and you know, [00:28:50] they used to say, you know, NBA’s got a secret sauce. And I, I was all about that secret. I was hooked [00:28:55] on that secret sauce and, and stayed at M, B and A for a long time and progressed. So started off [00:29:00] as an outbound telemarketer.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: Um, got made permanent as an outbound telemarketer, [00:29:05] then got made team leader. Then they used to do these family days called Corn Boils because it’s an [00:29:10] American company. So you can imagine it’s cheesy. So they wanted to do a pop stars. It was [00:29:15] a charity thing. And, and the kind of end of the whole process was to perform at this corn boil. And [00:29:20] I went for it. And they did it exactly like the TV series. They got it filmed. [00:29:25] It was like a production that they pulled together on the whole process of it, and I got into the [00:29:30] band. And do you know what that did? It got me recognised by senior leadership of the bank. [00:29:35] They probably wouldn’t have known me as Andy Sloan, the outbound team leader. [00:29:40] And these people were all of a sudden, um, I was I was in front [00:29:45] of them. You know, we did special performances. Um, we had the newspaper. Then [00:29:50] there’s an article about it, you know, that talks about Andy Sloan from Solanki and stuff, which I’m not [00:29:55] from Saltney, but, um, that they put that anyway and it did, it got me recognised and, and, and my career [00:30:00] just started to really progress in, in the bank and section [00:30:05] manager, department manager, VP, um, [00:30:10] and just really progressed and loved working at the bank. The bank got sold and it was bought [00:30:15] by Bank of America. Very different culture. Their culture was the top 1% gets rewarded [00:30:20] really heavily. The bottom 1% is gone. Every know it was that type of culture. So very. [00:30:25]

Prav Solanki: Thorough.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. And it came to a point where they were making [00:30:30] cuts as they wanted to realise synergies. And it was about 2007, I was [00:30:35] responsible for our telemarketing agencies in India. So [00:30:40] I had to go to India a good few times to set these up. Loved it. You know, such an experience. [00:30:45] Bangalore and Mumbai. Flying to Goa for the weekend for like £1.80 [00:30:50] and you know, partying and stuff and then going back. Yeah. Fantastic experience. But for America wanted [00:30:55] to make redundancies and they wanted it for the first round to be voluntary. So everyone who [00:31:00] was over a certain grade in the bank, Uh, a letter was put on their desk. A white envelope was put on [00:31:05] their desk. And I remember sitting down and open this and we had they were called pods, but they [00:31:10] were like cubicles, you know? Yeah. And when you got to department manager, you had a big cubicle with your own table [00:31:15] in the middle and stuff like that. So you had a bit of space. Yeah. I remember sitting down and open it and going, I’m taking [00:31:20] that. So I got up and walked into my boss’s office and said, I’m going to take voluntary redundancy. [00:31:25] And he said, um, no, no, no, no, no, we don’t want you to take it. And I was like, but I really want to take it. [00:31:30] Um, it was enhanced, you know, and for someone my age and stuff like that, it was [00:31:35] a nice little earner and I thought I could just get another job, you know? So I took it and [00:31:40] left. And then six months later, the financial crash happened and half the bank got made redundant. [00:31:45] Forced redundancy on statutory redundancy pay. And I remember [00:31:50] I was then I was in a job. So I moved on, you know, and I got a job at [00:31:55] Reedj um recruitment, you know um in, in Manchester.

Prav Solanki: Doing sales [00:32:00] again.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. So it was recruiting for CFOs and PhDs [00:32:05] of businesses that read finance. So.

Prav Solanki: Right.

Andy Sloan: Um, not general recruitment, you [00:32:10] know, specialist recruitment and the market is flooded with all my mates and stuff like that. And jobs were [00:32:15] hard to get. And I was like, I made the right decision there.

Prav Solanki: Um, so we’ll go back, we’ll go [00:32:20] back to read.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. So I, um, I kind of thought to myself, I’ve made the right decision [00:32:25] there and I’ve found another job whilst I was working at Reed, recruiting for PhDs [00:32:30] and stuff like that. I started working with a company in Warrington called Brookson. They [00:32:35] were like an umbrella company for, um, contractors. You know, they did contract [00:32:40] payroll. It was like a cash cow, um, business. And 35 was coming in and they [00:32:45] had to reinvent their organisation and I was recruiting for them and then saw that they were [00:32:50] looking to take on a head of sales. So I applied for it. And [00:32:55] got it.

Prav Solanki: Right.

Andy Sloan: And I wasn’t enjoying reading. If you’ve ever been [00:33:00] in recruitment, it’s not always the nicest industry to be in. It’s it’s it’s [00:33:05] tough. And, um, I had a boss that wasn’t particularly nice and I was going [00:33:10] to Manchester every day and hated it, you know. So I um met by [00:33:15] this time.

Prav Solanki: Right.

Andy Sloan: Um.

Prav Solanki: Did you meet Lynette while [00:33:20] you were at Reed or just after?

Andy Sloan: So it was while I was at Bank of America. Um, I met Lynette. [00:33:25] So Lynette came over. Lynette. Irish, and, uh, she came over to study law [00:33:30] at, uh, law college. So she wanted to be a lawyer. And, uh, I lived in [00:33:35] Christleton at the time with another girl, and Lynette got a job in my local pub, [00:33:40] and I used to go to the pub. Um, not a lot, but I used to go to the pub and I’d see Lynette in [00:33:45] there and she had a boyfriend back in Ireland. And. But there was, there was just something between us [00:33:50] and um, I don’t even know what it was, but she kind [00:33:55] of she kind of hooked me.

Prav Solanki: Some chemistry there. The ignited [00:34:00] it. And you.

Andy Sloan: Know what? We’re both Catholics. We’re both got quite high moral compasses from [00:34:05] from that regard. And nothing happened. But we knew that it could and we knew that it probably [00:34:10] should. So, um, I, I, I first of all bought the pub. So [00:34:15] because I thought the only way to get is to become a boss. Um, so [00:34:20] I bought the lease, the landlord was, um, was elderly and he was selling up anyway, [00:34:25] and there was like seven years left on it and I, I took it on. So I was working at Bank of America and running [00:34:30] the pub at the same time.

Prav Solanki: Jesus.

Andy Sloan: But I put in a manager into the pub, so it wasn’t like it was [00:34:35] there, but I was above it. I was living above it anyway. Yeah. So yeah, so that was going on for a while and then let [00:34:40] them finish their law degree. And I remember the conversation with her. She’s like, right, I’m going [00:34:45] home. And I was like, what do you mean you’re going home? You know, she’s like going back to Ireland. I finished my degree, [00:34:50] I finished my LPC, sorry, and going back to Ireland. And she did. And then [00:34:55] at the weekend after she went, I was in the pub and I’d had a few drinks and the old landlord was [00:35:00] in there and we just got talking and he goes, what are you doing? And I was like, what do you mean? He goes, [00:35:05] everybody here knows that there’s something between you two. You know, you’re miserable now. [00:35:10] Why? Why aren’t you doing something about this? So I phoned her up and said, you need to [00:35:15] come back and you need to split up with your boyfriend. And I split up with my girlfriend and [00:35:20] she came back and we moved in together. So we went from not being together to being [00:35:25] together and living with each other above a pub in in Chester.

Prav Solanki: Wow.

Andy Sloan: And [00:35:30] she got a job as a paralegal or trainee solicitor in Easton. So she was going [00:35:35] off doing that. I was going to Bank of America. Then at night we were coming home and I kept teasing [00:35:40] her about her being a landlady, which she didn’t want to be, you know. And I then started having a few beers with some [00:35:45] of the locals because that’s part of the job. And, um, and we, we probably [00:35:50] lasted six months. So we were just before Christmas, and a brewery came to me and said, we’re [00:35:55] selling a load of our properties. And this, this pub is one of the ones that we’re going to [00:36:00] sell. So, um, you’ve got a choice, which is the chain that was [00:36:05] buying the pub didn’t offer license, um, like leases. They only offered management positions so [00:36:10] that you could become the manager of the pub. And I said, I don’t want that. So they bought me on my [00:36:15] lease and what I’d done in six months is brought a new chef in, tapped into the student [00:36:20] community that Lynette was part of, really upped the value of the pub quite significantly. And [00:36:25] they had to pay me off on a run rate basis. So I made I made some [00:36:30] decent money out of coming out of the lease.

Andy Sloan: But remember, we had to move out to the pub like a week and a half before Christmas. [00:36:35] Uh, and, um, and, and I’d taken the redundancy from, [00:36:40] so we were just in a little bit better position. Yeah, [00:36:45] yeah, yeah. Um, so that was, that was kind of, that was the, the meeting [00:36:50] Lynette part. The read part, like I said, didn’t enjoy. Not a good boss, [00:36:55] didn’t enjoy the environment, went to Brookson and loved working in accountancy. [00:37:00] So I worked in accountancy there as the head of sales, redeveloped their wholesales [00:37:05] organisation for them because they used to have self-employed contractors come into them. [00:37:10] It was all inbound. That’s why I was saying cash cow because they really didn’t have to market it. [00:37:15] You know, they were really well known for what they did and it was just natural. They had loads of, um, [00:37:20] agency relationships and the agencies used to get a kick back if they [00:37:25] referred somebody through to Brookson, you know, so it was good. But when I, a 35 came, [00:37:30] they had to change all of that and they couldn’t do it in the same way anymore. And PSC became [00:37:35] a thing, you know, contractors were setting up as limited companies, Ir35, were you inside or outside? [00:37:40] That all became real and they had to reinvent their business, which meant that I set up [00:37:45] a sales team.

Andy Sloan: So we had an outbound team, an inbound team, working with the marketing [00:37:50] people, you know, to really develop what brookson needed to be, um, in, [00:37:55] in the kind of in the new world and, and stayed there for a number of years with [00:38:00] them. Enjoyed it. Um, still family owned by Rick and Carl Evanson. They were, they [00:38:05] were great people. Uh, loved the party friends with the Rooneys, you know? Um, so [00:38:10] yeah, it was good. It was a good time, but, um, I don’t even [00:38:15] know how this happened, so I, I, I was on a business trip and I was approached [00:38:20] by someone who owned a Dental business and that Dental business [00:38:25] with Dental buying group. Um, a guy called Alan Stockwin owned it and he just sold it [00:38:30] to a private equity company. So Nova Capital and Nova wanted to, um, [00:38:35] change it because it was their kind of debut investment. And I don’t even know [00:38:40] how I became entwined in all of this. But anyway, I became the sales and marketing director of um, of [00:38:45] Dbg Dental buying group. And that’s where dentistry started for me.

Prav Solanki: Well, what [00:38:50] was that? Some kind of chance meeting?

Andy Sloan: Yes.

Prav Solanki: Is it so [00:38:55] foggy you can’t quite remember how it happened?

Andy Sloan: Yeah, it is a bit. It’s a blur, but there was a [00:39:00] there was Alan, um a a head-hunter and just some conversations that [00:39:05] resulted in me going to meet the CEO. So not Alan. He put in a CEO, [00:39:10] John and um, and sent over and getting on well with them and um, and then [00:39:15] them making me and it wasn’t just the, the sales and marketing director, I became a board director. [00:39:20] I was a, you know, I was named on the, on the, on company’s house as a board director and stuff. [00:39:25] And yeah, and kind of thought dentistry, you know, how bad could [00:39:30] that be? Um, so I joined it and Dbg is very similar [00:39:35] to a CEO in a lot of ways. It was multifaceted. Um, they did technical [00:39:40] servicing of Dental equipment. They sold stuff through a shop and we had a [00:39:45] team of trainers that went out into the marketplace and went into Dental practices and trained on [00:39:50] medical emergencies, infection control, you know, all of those core topics and stuff like that. And [00:39:55] we did compliance. So we did seek compliance, and we did on site assessments. And we [00:40:00] built a very rudimentary SaaS platform where practices [00:40:05] could get rid of the files that we used to ship out to them when they became a Dbg member [00:40:10] and do it online. So quite a lot of similarities to what I’m doing. Can I now?

Prav Solanki: Yeah. [00:40:15]

Andy Sloan: Yeah, I loved it. I remember my office, I walked in and when I was at Brookson [00:40:20] again, it was pods and like banks of desks, I walked into them. Allen had [00:40:25] built this beautiful building in the middle of Winsford, in an industrial estate that was oak [00:40:30] framed. One of his other companies was an oak framing company, and he felt this oak framed glass thing, [00:40:35] and my office was right at the back. And it was huge. It was it was so huge and [00:40:40] had glass doors on either end. And on one side it was the sales team. And on the other side it was the marketing [00:40:45] and finance teams and stuff like that. And I was in the middle, and I remember the day I walked [00:40:50] in and I stopped at my desk for the very first time. I thought, I’ve made it here. [00:40:55] Yeah, I’m good at this. Is this is like a turning point in my in my career. [00:41:00] And after a little while, Synova said, we’re going to [00:41:05] sell the business. We need to show on our debut acquisition that we can get a really good [00:41:10] return because, you know, obviously works well for them for going on and raising more capital.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. [00:41:15] Um, and, um, they wanted me to lead that process. So [00:41:20] I, um, was the lead, there was me and the CEO who was [00:41:25] the CFO. And between the two of us, we had to do all the beauty parades with everybody. Henry [00:41:30] Schein was one of the interested bidders. Um, there was like 12 different things. And the [00:41:35] only doubt about the whole thing is, um, and this is a private equity, [00:41:40] um, thing. So, And the beauty parades were set on a day, and everyone was flying in [00:41:45] from different places. And we were going to be in London for a week and blah, blah, blah. My wife decided not to give [00:41:50] birth to my son, um, and she went overdue by two weeks. Uh, I [00:41:55] actually gave birth the weekend before the beauty parade started. So my son was born [00:42:00] over the weekend, and on Monday morning I was gone to London for a week. So the first kind of week in [00:42:05] my son’s birth, I wasn’t here. Um, and that was tough.

Prav Solanki: Yeah, I bet. [00:42:10]

Andy Sloan: And, and I remember speaking to the private equity team and they were like, we can’t change this, Andy. You’ve got [00:42:15] to come, you know? And I was like, okay, so, um, I went down and did it and we [00:42:20] ended up selling dbg to I’d h.

Prav Solanki: I.

Andy Sloan: Who [00:42:25] I wanted to absorb it and, and kind of in-source stuff [00:42:30] that they used to pay people like shine to do. So consumables. I remember sitting down [00:42:35] with Simon Gambold and telling him that he no longer supplied my dentist with consumables, [00:42:40] and we’ve taken all this away from him and all the technical engineering that smaller [00:42:45] companies were doing regionally for Id-h. My dentist. Yeah, all in house [00:42:50] and, you know, completely created a synergy model that benefited the, the group [00:42:55] of stuff and then worked with them on the acquisition of Dental directory. So it was, you know, I [00:43:00] became a director of my dentist. I was listed on their company as well. So I went from my [00:43:05] first ever private equity transaction into working for [00:43:10] Carlyle and Palamon as feedback is. So you’ve gone from a boutique debut [00:43:15] investment to a colossal, you know, uh, [00:43:20] investor and, and, and enjoyed it and stayed with them for a few years. And, um, again, [00:43:25] a chance meeting with somebody called Patrick Allen from, uh, Henry Schein. Like, [00:43:30] why didn’t you come and work for us? And I was like, doing what? And he said, well, you [00:43:35] know, we’ve got this kind of idea for a new business unit, which [00:43:40] is not about selling stuff. You know, like consumables and things like that. It’s about [00:43:45] supporting practices with better business choices and decisions. And we want you to [00:43:50] come in and develop it and lead it. And it was Henry Schein Business Solutions. So I joined and [00:43:55] became a UK general manager of business solutions, um, which [00:44:00] suddenly morphed into this bigger job, which was Henry Schein Financial Services [00:44:05] because I worked in accountancy for a bit and Bank of America. Naturally, I’m the person to get that, [00:44:10] which meant dealing with the FCA and all that good stuff and doing capital equipment, um, financing. [00:44:15] And then got given the job in Europe looking after 11 different countries.

Prav Solanki: Wow. [00:44:20]

Andy Sloan: The progression of shine was, was good. It was very [00:44:25] good. And I loved Henry Schein. That was probably one of the best eras of my life. [00:44:30] I loved the whole ethos of doing well by doing good and helping health happen, and all [00:44:35] the kind of slogans that shine use. But they don’t just use. They kind of do mean [00:44:40] it. You know.

Prav Solanki: They almost live by them rather than just being words on a wall [00:44:45] or. Whatever. Right? Just lip service. It’s actually the live and breathe those values. [00:44:50]

Andy Sloan: And I love the whole team shine, you know, approach. And I still call myself team shine [00:44:55] now today. You know, I was with Vikki Goodall, the UK lead last [00:45:00] night. And I still call myself Henry Shine. I still probably got oh well yeah. There you go. There’s [00:45:05] Henry shine calculator. So I.

Prav Solanki: Still.

Andy Sloan: Shine here. My [00:45:10] kids used to have Henry shine bobble hats. And I wear for this great guy at Henry Shine, who was based in [00:45:15] Long Island called Keith Dreyer. And he was the lead for financial services. And I just clicked [00:45:20] with him and we were like best mates. And he used to come over and we used to do tours in Europe [00:45:25] and we’d do like three countries in two days and stuff like that. And the guy was nuts. He had me in Philadelphia [00:45:30] running, um, with us Marines and these fitness [00:45:35] freaks all the way through Philadelphia at half five in the morning. And there’s a picture of me. I don’t know whether I’ve got [00:45:40] one here. There’s a picture of me. These are all mostly like people around [00:45:45] me. This short, stumpy, fat guy on the end having a heart attack. But it [00:45:50] finished up the rocky steps.

Prav Solanki: Right?

Andy Sloan: And and and the feeling that I got, I kept [00:45:55] the pace with them. I’ve still got it on my Strava. I kept the pace with them, although it did nearly kill me and I was late. I [00:46:00] needed the defibrillator at the end and I was at the top of these rocky steps in Philadelphia [00:46:05] thinking, this is amazing. You know, the feeling, the kind of. Is it.

Prav Solanki: Euphoria?

Andy Sloan: Yeah, [00:46:10] yeah, yeah. Um, I was on such a high and um, and loved, loved, [00:46:15] loved working for Keith. He was a good boss. He, I learned, I think I learnt [00:46:20] a lot about how I am now from Keith.

Prav Solanki: Mhm.

Andy Sloan: He was one of those leaders where you just [00:46:25] wanted to suck stuff out of. And I think I mentioned that earlier. I did it with Tony.

Prav Solanki: Tony. Yeah, [00:46:30] yeah.

Andy Sloan: I try and do that. I’m, I’m probably a Heinz variety of leadership styles, [00:46:35] but I think that’s the best way to create your own. You know.

Prav Solanki: Just.

Andy Sloan: There’s, there shouldn’t be [00:46:40] one set anyway. So yeah, worked with I loved it. And then, um, again, I don’t know how this [00:46:45] happened, but somebody phoned me up and said, we’re recruiting for a business development director of a Dental chain, [00:46:50] and we think that you might be someone that could, could, could be good. And it was Portman, um, [00:46:55] working for Sam Waley-cohen. So I went into the process, not, not expecting to get the job. And [00:47:00] I kept getting through another level and another level and another level. And I [00:47:05] was like, I don’t know what’s going on here. I’m not a corporate finance person. I’m not from private [00:47:10] equity. I’ve never bought a dental practice in my life. Why would they want me? [00:47:15] Um, and, um, I got the job and, um, a company [00:47:20] director again too, listed on the company’s shareholder, you know, the whole kit and caboodle sat on [00:47:25] the board of directors with them and joined as business development director with no Scooby doo of what I [00:47:30] was doing. Um, and I think that they were trying to hedge their bets because they took on the [00:47:35] second candidate as well as me and he was like a pure M&A person.

Prav Solanki: M&a guy.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, [00:47:40] an M&A. And I was like, okay, this is a bit weird. And I was his boss. And there was a little bit [00:47:45] of vying for position going on there for a while. But what eventually won out is that [00:47:50] individual left the organisation and I stayed. And um, if you’ve ever met Gary Chapman, [00:47:55] you know, Gary Chapman was a part of my team and he’s a force to be reckoned with, you know, in the space. [00:48:00] So again, I just wanted to suck as much knowledge out of him as I possibly could because [00:48:05] he was he’s just a guru of buying Dental practices, you know, and, and you learn, you [00:48:10] know, you only become better when you’re surrounded by really good people. Um, and he was definitely the right [00:48:15] person and not always the easiest to get along with. But he’s, he’s definitely, [00:48:20] definitely knowledgeable in his area. So I did, I sucked loads of information [00:48:25] out of him.

Prav Solanki: What was the, what was the size of Portman at that point? When you, when you joined.

Andy Sloan: So, [00:48:30] uh, it was about a hundred practices.

Prav Solanki: Okay. [00:48:35]

Andy Sloan: Yeah. And when I left, it was 220. So in the three, I was there for [00:48:40] just over three years. And, um, we acquired 100 and over 120 practices. [00:48:45] I bought the first group, which was an orthodontic group. Um, [00:48:50] and I acquired a software business for them, which was systems for dentists and [00:48:55] some quite large practices in the UK. So full time practice [00:49:00] in Birmingham.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: Um acquired that for, um, for Pullman, [00:49:05] which was a bit dubious because when you look at risk, something of that size automatically [00:49:10] creates risk. You know, in people’s minds. But I remember speaking to someone in Portland [00:49:15] a little while ago, and he practices a really high performing practice within the group. You [00:49:20] know, so the bet was right and it was hard to get it over the line. Um, [00:49:25] yeah. Um, yeah. Yes, 120 practices logged Sam Waley-cohen and [00:49:30] loved his whole mantra. Loved the whole style. Could see some challenges that they were facing [00:49:35] because they were growing to such a pace. And I talk about this in webinars [00:49:40] about you lose control when you get to a certain size. You know, when you’ve got five practices, it’s [00:49:45] really easy to know. Sandra worked here and Bob’s the associate here and he’s not having [00:49:50] a good time. And you know, you can kind of keep your finger on the pulse with with everything [00:49:55] that’s going on. But when you get to 50, you may not see Sandra as much anymore and you [00:50:00] may not know Bob’s now split up from his wife. And, you know, you just. And then when you get to a hundred, you [00:50:05] just haven’t got a clue. Um, and, and I think that poor woman was getting to the point where [00:50:10] it was just hard to keep in all of the different practices [00:50:15] that they had in their group. And they brought in a new MD Julie Roth. She was there when I joined, [00:50:20] but she moved into an MD role. And, um, the group was growing. I was bringing in [00:50:25] practice acquisitions hand over fist.

Prav Solanki: And your your role then [00:50:30] was you were you was an M&A guy. Yeah.

Andy Sloan: As business development director, so responsible for M&A. [00:50:35] Yeah.

Prav Solanki: Yeah. And who was your boss?

Andy Sloan: I reported it to Sam at [00:50:40] the start. And then when Julie. So Sam was moving more into a board [00:50:45] type role and Julie became the UK MD and I then reported into Julie.

Prav Solanki: What [00:50:50] was Sam like as a boss?

Andy Sloan: How would you.

Prav Solanki: How would you describe his [00:50:55] leadership style and, and whatnot? And, and did you pick, you know, just [00:51:00] as you went from boss to boss and you almost like extracted the essence of, you know, [00:51:05] the hunger in you. Just sort of saying, I want to learn from this person. Talk to me about Sam and [00:51:10] what he is like as a leader and as a boss. His leadership style. [00:51:15] And what did you what were the biggest takeaways from from Sam for you?

Andy Sloan: Yeah, so I [00:51:20] did get on really well with Sam. And we’re we’re from completely different worlds, you know, of course, and [00:51:25] backgrounds, everything else, you know, you couldn’t have two polar opposites, but [00:51:30] it didn’t. It doesn’t matter to Sam.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And he’s a considered risk taker [00:51:35] and is considered part of the risk on me was taken on the second person. Yeah, [00:51:40] but he still did it anyway. You know, he basically shot his budget and brought two in because he wanted to take [00:51:45] a gamble on. But also he was pitting us against each other as well. So it’s kind of like a sportsman [00:51:50] strategy there. Yeah, yeah. Sportsmen approaching there, but really easy to get along [00:51:55] with, really energetic and, and there’s been a few people in my career that have been [00:52:00] like this. Stan Bergman, a Henry shines for somebody else as well. They just inspire people [00:52:05] for what, for whatever reason. And some of the stuff, the stories that Sam told us about [00:52:10] the sort of personal tragedy that he had, you know, in his in, in his, in his life and the [00:52:15] horse riding and, you know, being an amateur jump jockey. And, you know, he [00:52:20] set up Portman because he could see the state of jockey’s teeth, because they were all like [00:52:25] falling off. Yeah, kicked in the face and stuff like that. And I’m not having to like really [00:52:30] good oral health care. And Pullman was kind of like an idea because, I mean, I think [00:52:35] Sam was a commodities trader, you know, so going from being a commodities trader into running [00:52:40] a Dental group is, is quite a shift. But it was the connection through the horse racing that did it. [00:52:45] Um, the biggest thing for me and the most proud moment that I had was [00:52:50] when Sam won the Grand National and I was in Porthmadog at the time.

Andy Sloan: We had a place at Green Acres, [00:52:55] which is like a haven place. We had like a lodge there and we were all in the [00:53:00] clubhouse watching the Grand National. And then I was at the very back of the room and [00:53:05] having a beer and, you know, talking away. And then somebody shouted, hey, Andy, isn’t that your boss? [00:53:10] I turned around, Sam was at the front, you know, and I remember speaking to Sam about [00:53:15] putting a larger sum of money on him the night before. And please don’t do that, Andy. Just don’t [00:53:20] do it. I’m not going to win it, you know? Um, and then he romped it home, and I it [00:53:25] felt like I’d won the race. And I’m pretty sure everybody at Portman felt the same. So [00:53:30] the kind of sense of pride in, you know, an amateur jockey [00:53:35] winning the Grand National on his last race, that Grand National race was his last race [00:53:40] to win it on that. It’s just like movie stuff. Do you know what I mean? And I [00:53:45] wish I had to put the bloody money on him. I did put a bet on him, but not the. I [00:53:50] was literally going to put a big bet on him. Um, and I think his odds were like 24 to 1, you know, so [00:53:55] it would have been, it would have been a nice little earner. I still did all right out of it.

Andy Sloan: But um I, people [00:54:00] were buying me drinks and you kind of like how, how good is this? How good is it to [00:54:05] work for someone that there is inspiring not just the people within [00:54:10] his own organisation, but well outside of it, you know, and, and I think the [00:54:15] stuff that I’ve taken away from Psalm one is the way that he presents himself. He’s got [00:54:20] a confidence about him and people engage with that. [00:54:25] And I try and do the same thing. I try and emulate him to a certain not not to the same [00:54:30] level. And if you looked at it as a Dental for him when he was the chair last year, you could see that it’s still a [00:54:35] chasm apart in terms of his suave, you know, style. And my rushed for [00:54:40] him like burbling stuff. But but when you talk about things, you’ve got to do [00:54:45] it credibly. Um, otherwise you shouldn’t talk about them at all. And, and I took that from [00:54:50] Sam, you know, it’s the kind of the, the, the essence of the, um, of what he does that I tried to take away [00:54:55] with me and I remember telling him I was leaving and it was really, really hard to do. Um, [00:55:00] there was one main reason that I wanted to leave Portman and that was I was never going to be the end [00:55:05] of that business. And that was the stark realisation that, um, he brought in [00:55:10] an MD. Julie.

Prav Solanki: Mhm.

Andy Sloan: He got the leadership team around [00:55:15] him. I remember meeting him in London after I said that I was going to leave, and we talked [00:55:20] about, you know, is there an opportunity to stay? And I asked him one question, will I ever be the MD appointment? [00:55:25] And he said no. And he said, we’ve got Julie. You know, so it was a [00:55:30] no fluff, no bullshit moment.

Prav Solanki: Very honest.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. Very honest. Not [00:55:35] like, you know, um, and I said, I’ve got to go then because my time where [00:55:40] I am in my head, I’ve achieved some fantastic things with Portman, you know, I’ve [00:55:45] still got the medals on, on the desk behind me of a hundred practices and 200 [00:55:50] practices and all of the celebratory stuff that we did. And I didn’t buy all of those [00:55:55] practices, by the way, I led the team, but I was the I c person. I was responsible for [00:56:00] taking it to the board. You know, I had to be involved in every deal. I did do deals myself as well. [00:56:05] But, um, I do want to make that caveat. I had a really talented M&A team around me. Um, [00:56:10] and Gary was like the, um, he used to say, I. All I [00:56:15] need you to do on these. Line up the ball and I’ll shoot and score. And that’s the kind of relationship that we had. You know, [00:56:20] the dynamic. Um, and, and, and, and then I represented the M&A team to our [00:56:25] investors to get the money to buy the practices. So that was it. But, um, yeah, I really enjoyed [00:56:30] it, but it was ready to step up and lead and lead over it. So I was [00:56:35] leading in there because I had the M&A department, you know, but I was ready to step up [00:56:40] and not be a I didn’t want to be Sam.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: But b [00:56:45] b.

Prav Solanki: B wanted to move. You want you wanted to progress. Right. Further, I guess. You know, the first [00:56:50] time I met you, Andy, was when we were selling our dental practice.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Prav Solanki: Um, and, [00:56:55] you know, there was you, there was Dental, there was a couple of others. And, [00:57:00] you know, we sat down, we had a conversation and I don’t know what it is about the Scouse [00:57:05] accent, Andy, but I love it. There’s something. Do you know what? There’s something [00:57:10] quite warm about it. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, and some people love it. Some people [00:57:15] hate it, I love it. Right.

Andy Sloan: Mine’s not scouts anymore. So if you stand me next to my brother, you would [00:57:20] actually think that I’m not. And by the fact that. By the fact that, um. I’m [00:57:25] mixed in with the Northern Irish wife and we live in Wales.

Prav Solanki: Mate, you’re still [00:57:30] Scouse to me.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, a little bit. So on a recording, I used to think I sounded like, um, [00:57:35] Lily Savage, right?

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: The drag.

Prav Solanki: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, [00:57:40] I know exactly what you mean.

Andy Sloan: I hated listening to my voice. There’s only one thing that I don’t like about [00:57:45] the way that I talk right now is, um. I keep saying, you know, [00:57:50] and that is, I think, and every webinar I’ve done recently and I’ve caught myself doing [00:57:55] it on this webinar as well. So I’m not a polished article, but equally, what I don’t want [00:58:00] to be is, is a fake version. So my accent’s changed naturally because [00:58:05] of surroundings and stuff like that. Yeah, I’ve never tried to hide who I am and where I’ve [00:58:10] come from. You know, I just said it again. I’m going to keep catching that now, but, um, I [00:58:15] never want to hide it. And some people do like the accent. Some people don’t. I was conversing [00:58:20] with a lot of London based individuals because that’s generally where private equity [00:58:25] is.

Prav Solanki: Yes.

Andy Sloan: So when I’m in a room, you can tell that he’s the kind of outsider. [00:58:30]

Prav Solanki: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Andy Sloan: So you’ve got lots of, um, posher accents than mine, [00:58:35] shall we say.

Prav Solanki: But the, the remember, you know, I, I like it, I’m [00:58:40] very, very fond of the Scouse accent. Right. I think there’s something quite, quite warming about it. So [00:58:45] although Portman didn’t end up buying our practice that we had on the [00:58:50] market, Dentex did. And Portman ended up getting it in the end anyway. Right. But that was our I [00:58:55] guess that was the first meeting, the first introduction that we had very [00:59:00] short meeting. And then obviously we crossed paths later on. Um, so you [00:59:05] left, you told Sam you were going where to? What happened next? Yeah. And and [00:59:10] what were the opportunities that lay in front of you?

Andy Sloan: So I got approached again. [00:59:15] Um, I think it’s only been 1 or 2 times in my life. I’ve actually applied for a job. Uh, [00:59:20] it seems to me like people come to me and approach me an opportunity. Uh, I got [00:59:25] approached again by a head-hunter who said that there was an [00:59:30] MD position going in Dental. Mhm. For a software business. And [00:59:35] the reason that they found me is because of the dbg experience. [00:59:40] Um, and, you know, I talked about the similarities earlier and, um, it was [00:59:45] a, it was a full MD role. So P and L responsibility, go to market strategy, [00:59:50] you know, product development, the whole kit and caboodle. And it was, it was, uh, August [00:59:55] equity, so well known in Dental. Had a couple of investments in Dental, you know, [01:00:00] prior to, uh, Jillian and they bought Paul Mendelssohn’s business, which was code, [01:00:05] the compliance Yet code which I tried to buy before as well, unsuccessfully. [01:00:10] But they bought that. And what they were setting about doing was they bought isoform. [01:00:15] They were just in the throes of talking to Rob Davis of Pro Dental CBD about [01:00:20] bringing clinical content in, and the group COO was [01:00:25] leading the Dental division as well as doing his job because the prior MD left [01:00:30] for whatever reason, and there was a period of time where there was no kind of MD. [01:00:35] It was a bit rudderless. Neil was stepping in, but there was no, no cohesive, [01:00:40] um, uh, leadership, um, uh, in, in place. So whilst I was [01:00:45] working my notice at Portman, also integrating into agility. So [01:00:50] on my desk, I had two laptops and, uh, I was doing bits of work on both [01:00:55] of them.

Andy Sloan: You know, I, I agreed with Paul that we wouldn’t tell people I was leaving till nearer [01:01:00] the time just because it’s transactional and it’s sensitive and you don’t kind [01:01:05] of rock the boat with any of these acquisitions. Uh, and Julio really wanted to announce me [01:01:10] joining in the market, because they saw it as a bit of a coup that I was on the board. For whatever [01:01:15] reason. Um, uh, but we couldn’t do it. So in the end, we got to the place where I told everybody [01:01:20] and then Julio told everybody, and I transitioned over and I went down to, I went [01:01:25] over to Sheffield on the first day and met with the team. And one of the first questions I asked is, [01:01:30] what do we call ourselves? And I remember Karen, who was the chief human resource officer, Neil, [01:01:35] who was the MD at the time, was like, what do you mean? I was like, we need a tribe. This needs to [01:01:40] be a tribal mentality, you know? Straight away. We need to start as we mean to go on. And and [01:01:45] they’ve been calling in phrases before already, but they’d never really come to existence. And now we’re all called [01:01:50] aliens. Mhm. And, um, and, and, uh, and I think [01:01:55] that that tribal stuff was one of the first things I wanted to implant before I got there. What I also [01:02:00] wanted to implement was a number of things that I really like that Portman and Henry Sheen, etc., [01:02:05] one of which is the Golden Hour.

Prav Solanki: Mhm.

Andy Sloan: 12 to 1. No meetings. Uh, [01:02:10] every day it’s in everybody’s calendar. Um, it’s blocked out. People need to get away from [01:02:15] the desk. Uh, I go and walk my dog between 12 and 1 every day. It gives me a break, [01:02:20] and I think that’s needed. I also set up, um, no action emails after 3:00 on a [01:02:25] Friday, because there’s nothing worse than somebody dumping all of their stuff onto you. So you’ve got a [01:02:30] hard weekend and they’ve got an easier weekend. So I was like, no, no. If you could wait till [01:02:35] Monday, you don’t you don’t pass it on at the weekend. Um, and then huddles. So the whole Dental [01:02:40] division got together every Tuesday to share successes, stories and stuff. So I [01:02:45] just set about taking all of the little pieces of all of the company.

Prav Solanki: Picked.

Andy Sloan: Them. And [01:02:50] just because it was mine, now you know, it was mine.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And [01:02:55] I had a brief and the brief was, get us known in the market and go and win some business. [01:03:00]

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And I set about doing that almost immediately. So, um, [01:03:05] I remember Julio being at one of the shows just. And it was before I joined [01:03:10] and they were right in the corner. I was like, no, no, no no, no. Julio was right in the middle. We’ve [01:03:15] got to be we’ve got to be seen. I mean, the logo is bright yellow. You can’t miss it. Yeah. Um, and we need [01:03:20] we need people to know what. Because people were recognising that Julio still as isoform or code [01:03:25] or you know it was it was the old not the new. So I did a lot of work on brand positioning [01:03:30] brand. Um, and, and, and just getting out there and talking to people. And I think [01:03:35] I was really fortunate because I built up a name for myself in dentistry at this point [01:03:40] in time, the association really helped as well. So I started to kind [01:03:45] of play on that. Um, and, and have done ever since. Um, so I [01:03:50] am fiercely proud and protective of what we’ve done. So whilst [01:03:55] we’ve been at it, Julio, we acquired your business. Yeah. Uh, we acquired pro Dental CPD. [01:04:00] We’ve acquired Karrigan, we’ve acquired DCM, we’ve acquired dango. Um, we’ve [01:04:05] acquired, um, patient plan direct, you know, and I don’t think I’ve missed any any of [01:04:10] this, but, uh, so all of those acquisitions and we’re only four [01:04:15] and a half years in our existence, maybe coming up to five now, um, as a group, [01:04:20] there’s been 17 acquisitions. You know, the primary care division and the veterinary division have got their [01:04:25] own, but really, really proud of what, um, done. It’s basically [01:04:30] created a space in dentistry for itself that [01:04:35] it did own by itself for a period of time, but is so popular [01:04:40] now. It’s got competition.

Prav Solanki: Of course it has. Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And you know, that’s a, that’s a big.

Prav Solanki: A good [01:04:45] thing. It’s a good thing.

Andy Sloan: It is, it makes everybody better. I’ve never got enough um a [01:04:50] bad thing to say about competition. I think it’s really healthy, but it just shows how well we’ve done that. Other people [01:04:55] want to do what a you do, if that makes sense.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: So [01:05:00] I take it I, I’m very flattered by it. I think that means we’ve done a good job, and [01:05:05] now it means that we’ve got to be better and always striving. And we are in a very fast paced organisation. [01:05:10] We’ve been through a transaction and I was on the lead for [01:05:15] that as well. So we we transitioned the business from August Equity, who were [01:05:20] the ones that kind of took me on into, to associates and five arrows. So when I [01:05:25] was saying to you before about Carlyle and Palamon Carlyle specifically being like a whale, we [01:05:30] then go into the Rothschild side, you [01:05:35] know, and one of the largest health tech firms in the world with associates. [01:05:40] So we went from August up here. Um, [01:05:45] and that was a, uh, an interesting transaction, shall we say. It was on [01:05:50] a completely different level to selling dbg to Carlyle Group. Uh, and we were in [01:05:55] the shard, um, delivering these kind of pictures of what a Julio is and what [01:06:00] a Julio could be. Um, because we’re nowhere near what Julio could be. We’re still, I would [01:06:05] say we’re literally at Julio 2.0 and probably another five versions of Julio [01:06:10] to, to, to kind of get through and go to. And and that’s really exciting. So yeah, [01:06:15] join the Julio.

Andy Sloan: Hopefully you put my stamp on it. Really, really love it. I, [01:06:20] I say to people when I talk to them, I’m dentists specifically, if you get up in the morning, look in the mirror and [01:06:25] you don’t want to do dentistry, don’t be in dentistry. Yeah, I came into this market and [01:06:30] I’ve got one mantra and I’ve said this to private equity firms. I’ve said it to lots of people, whether they [01:06:35] believe me or not. It’s the truth. I’m not here to sell software. I’m here to make the [01:06:40] industry better. And if it means we sell software as a by-product of it, so be it. And that goes back [01:06:45] to the whole doing well by doing good mantra of Henry Schein, etc. etc. we should be [01:06:50] here for one reason, all of us. And that’s to better patient outcomes. And if not [01:06:55] or were dubious about it, we shouldn’t be doing it. Um, and I’ve lived and breathed [01:07:00] that I, I will never leave the dental industry. Now I am when you talk to me this morning, [01:07:05] this morning, it felt like this morning. Uh, when you talk to me about, um, did I know what I wanted [01:07:10] to do and did I know what I wanted to be? The answer is no. Up until dentistry. [01:07:15]

Prav Solanki: Right?

Andy Sloan: So after a point in time when I came into an industry I knew nothing [01:07:20] about and didn’t know whether I’d be any good at it. And, uh, I [01:07:25] love it, I love it. And, and, and I’m going to continue [01:07:30] to love it until I decided I want to work anymore. Um, so yeah, here to stay.

Prav Solanki: And [01:07:35] so looking at your career history and everything now, like, you know, you [01:07:40] are an incredibly seasoned M&A guy. There’s [01:07:45] no question about that. Right? And from my mind, the moment you told me about McDonald’s [01:07:50] buying Tony’s place.

Andy Sloan: Yeah.

Prav Solanki: Right. And then, you know, [01:07:55] the next transaction with Bank of America, it’s almost like since very early on in [01:08:00] your career, whether that was part of the plan or not, you have been in some way, shape [01:08:05] or form, either dragged along in the transaction or whatever it is, or heavily [01:08:10] involved in the diligence and making those decisions and saying, I’m going to go and buy that business because [01:08:15] of X, Y, and Z. Yeah, M&A has been pivotal in your life, right? [01:08:20] And yeah. Go on.

Andy Sloan: No, no, no it [01:08:25] is. But there’s one common thread through it all and it’s not what people think. So [01:08:30] I’m not a corporate financier, you know, and I use other people’s models [01:08:35] to make sure valuations are robust. And what we buy the businesses for is [01:08:40] going to give a good return for shareholders. So that’s not my skill set. The one common thread through all of it [01:08:45] is relationships. Yeah. And that’s where I think [01:08:50] I’ve been able to add value in M&A. Um, and that’s either [01:08:55] sourcing or coaching or.

Prav Solanki: And I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you something [01:09:00] now because, um, so I received a letter from a Julio, right. But [01:09:05] prior to that, somebody rang me and said, look, Prav, [01:09:10] we love your business. It was nice. Neil met you, blah, blah, blah. But [01:09:15] somebody had to pick up the phone and have that. Let’s feel [01:09:20] how Prav is feeling right now. Where’s his head at? And [01:09:25] let’s have the money conversation. And so you picked up the phone [01:09:30] and you said, right, Prav I spoke to the board, blah, blah, blah. We love your business. [01:09:35] And this is where our heads are at right now. But it felt [01:09:40] so natural and so comfortable. It was almost like they sent the sniper in and [01:09:45] the sniper was Andy, do you know what I mean? But but in. And I don’t mean that [01:09:50] in in from a negative connotation perspective. I [01:09:55] mean it from the point of view. I don’t think there was anyone in the business that could have had an uncomfortable [01:10:00] conversation so comfortably.

Andy Sloan: Yeah.

Prav Solanki: I know exactly where I was [01:10:05] sat when you, when, when we had that conversation and, and I just, you [01:10:10] know, I just sort of felt really comfortable when you had that conversation with me and you’ve probably had that [01:10:15] conversation hundreds of times, right? Um, and [01:10:20] so I get it. You didn’t come in like this corporate guy. There was, there was none of that. And you [01:10:25] know what? I felt comfortable enough to come back to you and go, Andy, kind of squeeze a little [01:10:30] bit more out of the deal.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, I remember.

Prav Solanki: But [01:10:35] you know what? It just felt so comfortable and natural, right? Like [01:10:40] what you’ve just said there, it was all built on relationships. Yeah. Um, and [01:10:45] that was a very, very clear in my mind.

Andy Sloan: It’s the truth. And you know what? I [01:10:50] class it as a privilege to be able to have done that job, not just with [01:10:55] you, but with the hundreds. I remember dentists phoning me up [01:11:00] and when we completed on the deal, thanking me because we changed their lives or [01:11:05] send me a bottle or whatever, and I never asked for that. You know, it was my job to buy [01:11:10] the practices, but the impact that it can have gave me such [01:11:15] a sense of comfort and pride in everything else that it just wasn’t. I just wanted to do more. [01:11:20] And we talked about that euphoric feeling. Yeah. About that. And I’m kind of euphoric [01:11:25] junkie. I love that kind of, you know.

Prav Solanki: Drug.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, yeah, definitely love it. And [01:11:30] even down to the red wine calls I used to get on a Friday night from dentists who didn’t [01:11:35] like the diligence process. Because no matter how easy we say it’s going to be, it never [01:11:40] is.

Prav Solanki: It’s disgusting.

Andy Sloan: Exactly. It is, it is, and it always is. And I remember them [01:11:45] phoning me up, and you could clearly tell they’d had a bottle of red wine. They were ranting down the phone and. [01:11:50] And I’m comfortable enough to say to them, wind your neck in. Because [01:11:55] at the end of this, you’re going to get a big fat check and all the great work that you’ve [01:12:00] done. And you should be really proud of what you’ve achieved and grown over time, but it’s time for you to just [01:12:05] knuckle down, get on for a little bit longer and, and it will all be okay. And [01:12:10] I had that conversation with you countless times about.

Prav Solanki: Loads of times, loads of times. Listen, mate, there [01:12:15] were there were moments during that diligence process. There was only you I could pick up the phone to on the other side. [01:12:20]

Andy Sloan: Yeah, I know.

Prav Solanki: Do you know what I mean? And I know you was. Ultimately, you’re [01:12:25] on a side, not my side. But at the same time, it felt like you were on my side. Yeah, because [01:12:30] I guess you were going to be melting us together anyway. But I just felt like during that whole transaction, [01:12:35] that whole process, I could pick up the phone and go, Andy, I’m really pissed off [01:12:40] because of X, Y, and Z, and you gave me comfort when I needed comfort. [01:12:45] But you also told me straight at points. Do you know what I mean? During [01:12:50] the transaction and stuff, which which I found incredibly helpful. And I think.

Andy Sloan: That’s got me into [01:12:55] trouble a few times. Being so straight, it’s fine. It’s the way I am. And again, not won’t change [01:13:00] it.

Prav Solanki: I think it’s brilliant because you know what? You just know where you stand. Do you know what [01:13:05] I mean? During that whole process. Coming back to the concept of transactions, [01:13:10] practice, valuations and that sort of thing. Right. Um, [01:13:15] I’ve got more of a difficult question for you now. Right? [01:13:20] Have you ever bought a practice that you shouldn’t have done?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. And, [01:13:25] and yeah, absolutely. And you know, it’s really, really difficult [01:13:30] when you spreadsheet diligence from people to understand [01:13:35] what’s actually going on in that business. And Gary and Sam, when I first joined Portman, [01:13:40] they said, you need to go and look at these people in the eyes. You can’t do it over a [01:13:45] spreadsheet or a diligence report. You’ve got to go and look at the motivation [01:13:50] face to face and really understand what’s going on in that business. And, um, it wasn’t [01:13:55] always possible, but there was, there was some practices where it’s [01:14:00] just not been what I thought it was going to be. And a little bit of a House of horrors type [01:14:05] thing, you know, so not, I would say out of all the ones that I’ve acquired, I’m not talking [01:14:10] like tens of in one hand.

Prav Solanki: You’re gonna have, you’re gonna, you’re [01:14:15] gonna have some failures.

Andy Sloan: I got to, you’ve got. But the thing is, you [01:14:20] can beat yourself up with those, those failures or you can learn from it. Uh, and I was in a culture [01:14:25] where it wasn’t brilliant if you bought a lemon, you know, type thing, but you [01:14:30] cracked on, you learn from it and you cracked on you, you, you had to do something extraordinary to make [01:14:35] up for the fact that you’d kind of bought a lemon. And, uh, I backed some acquisitions [01:14:40] that just didn’t go as well as I would have liked them to go. Um, [01:14:45] but then equally, they were far outweighed with many, many great acquisitions and the [01:14:50] clinicians and the quality and stuff that we were bringing on board was, was, was amazing. I used [01:14:55] kind of, I’m gonna, I will, um, call it out, um, the full time practice because it’s such a big, [01:15:00] complicated practice. You look at that from an outsider perspective and all you see is [01:15:05] risk, risk. But the reality of, of it is he’s built a robust, [01:15:10] like fantastic Dental business though, and, [01:15:15] and been hugely successful with it and deserved every reward that he got for transitioning [01:15:20] that business on. And it continues to be a success. So some of the ones that look risky [01:15:25] from the outside, and I keep saying this, two practices can look at exactly the same from the outside. [01:15:30] But as soon as you get over that door, the very, very different inside and one of them will be, [01:15:35] uh, a much higher value business than the other. Um, from [01:15:40] for all the reasons that I can, I talk about systems, people, culture. Yeah.

Prav Solanki: So, [01:15:45] so we take, let’s say we take, we take a basic valuation model, right? And [01:15:50] most people who’ve been through this process or understand the process know there’s a magic [01:15:55] number, which is essentially the net adjusted profit, the EBITDA as [01:16:00] we refer to. Right? With all the bits and bobs stripped out and stuff, and you’re left with this magic [01:16:05] number multiplied by what the market dictates to be the multiple. [01:16:10] You multiply those numbers together and you’re left with a big sum. Yeah. And [01:16:15] then there’s part of the deal which says on day one, we’re going to give you this and the rest of it, you’ve got [01:16:20] to fight for it for the next five years or whatever. And there’s all different ways in which that can be muddled [01:16:25] up. But that’s the core basics of how a Dental business gets [01:16:30] valued, right? Or a dental practice gets valued. And what, in your experience [01:16:35] are the biggest levers that a practice can pull to [01:16:40] change the value beyond what I’ve just described, either [01:16:45] to improve the likelihood that the deal will go ahead at the same number [01:16:50] because this that isn’t there. Or to actually make those numbers even more [01:16:55] favourable. What are the levers? Is it is it about, you know, is it about risk? [01:17:00] Is it about being associate led? Is it about how much plan income [01:17:05] you have in, in your experience taking all the transactions [01:17:10] that you’ve personally been involved with? If you were to give your sort of top 3 or 4 levers [01:17:15] that you can pull, maybe someone’s thinking of selling their practice in three years or five years time [01:17:20] and they think, right, Andy, to maximise my valuation in five years time, what [01:17:25] changes do I need to make? What would they be?

Andy Sloan: I mean, everything that you said is a lever [01:17:30] in its own right. But the ones that. So I touched on risk. So the way the practices [01:17:35] are being valued in the UK is changing the way that investments in dentistry [01:17:40] will happen in. We keep saying the next cycle, but that’s where we’re kind of heading [01:17:45] towards a new cycle of practice. Valuations will change the way that people [01:17:50] value businesses. What they’re not going to do anymore is look at, do you know how many patients [01:17:55] you see what your utilisation is? They’re all important. But the most important thing is, [01:18:00] is the business structured on a on a foundation. And I’m talking a foundation [01:18:05] and operating foundation that, um, that, that eliminates risk. [01:18:10] So do they have processes in place that allows them to see data robustly [01:18:15] to make decisions with that is usable for moving forward? Do they have repeatable [01:18:20] processes for new patient acquisition, patient retention? Do they [01:18:25] embed like the middle office stuff into their general workflow? So lots [01:18:30] of businesses in dentistry are really guilty of being really siloed inside. So you’ve [01:18:35] got a practice managers responsible for CQC, but it’s just the practice manager’s [01:18:40] responsibility, not the whole business’s responsibility.

Andy Sloan: When in CQC, compliance [01:18:45] is everybody’s responsibility. It should be embedded in or in a group HR [01:18:50] governed by HR system because it’s going to solve his problems. But what it then does is causes [01:18:55] issues with operations who are trying to do rotas for their practices. Finance [01:19:00] are trying to pay people. So what I would say is go back to the leaves that you can pull. Make sure [01:19:05] that you look at your business as an overall and not individual segments. When [01:19:10] you’re looking at technology, make sure technology works for you, not you having to work for it. Um, [01:19:15] and make sure the technology that you’re kind of putting in place is scalable [01:19:20] because that’s another thing that investors want to look at. Do you know what you’re using today? Can it be used if you [01:19:25] suddenly doubled in size? There’s one thing that I talk about a lot that I think makes [01:19:30] a huge difference on profitability though. And that’s heroics. And so [01:19:35] hero contributors within that business.

Prav Solanki: And and [01:19:40] are you talking about big grocers now?

Andy Sloan: Yeah, exactly. The performers. Yeah. Yeah. So [01:19:45] if I came in to buy Prav Solanki Dental practice and I looked at all [01:19:50] of the performance of all the associates on it, and I saw, I saw Prav Solanki was generating the lion’s [01:19:55] share of the profits of that business. You wouldn’t get a great valuation because you’re risky. [01:20:00] If I’m buying the business from you and you type in for two years or whatever, what [01:20:05] what happens at the end of those two years? If you’re still the highest grosser and you’ve got the majority [01:20:10] of the goodwill with you, and at the end of the two years you go, thanks, Andy, I’m off. I’m [01:20:15] screwed. So I look at things in a slightly different way, and I would sit with you and go, here’s [01:20:20] all the performers in your business and here’s how much they’re grossing. Here’s their profitability [01:20:25] as well. And what you’ll find is the heroic ones are generally the most [01:20:30] profitable. So you’ve got to look at your business and think, if I wasn’t here tomorrow, would [01:20:35] it still be able to perform in a predictable way that I did yesterday? And if the [01:20:40] answer’s no, you’ve got a problem, you’ve got to fix it.

Prav Solanki: So [01:20:45] the practice is with what you refer to as the heroes, or I would refer to as [01:20:50] the, you know, the superstar, big grossing dentists or whatever, right? You’re [01:20:55] either going to apply a discount to them or you’re just not going to buy them.

Andy Sloan: Yeah. [01:21:00] And it could be, it could be either or, you know, so you’d look at it and go really risky. [01:21:05] If it’s an associates that if it’s an associate, that’s the hero. I would be [01:21:10] asking how we can get them tied in to like mitigate that risk. And if it’s the principal dentist [01:21:15] in a dental practice that’s doing it, I’ll be thinking, is that sustainable or [01:21:20] could the performance of that business at a point in time? And do you know when you [01:21:25] buy a business, you look at the investment return over a period of time, it’s not like a one year payback. [01:21:30] It’s, you know, it could be five years or whatever model you’re using can have [01:21:35] a different variance. But, um, if you’re only tied in for two of those five years, I’ve got [01:21:40] three years of risk. I can’t pay you what I would pay you if you weren’t the hero. And [01:21:45] we could predict that business would be fine without you.

Prav Solanki: She changed the deal structure, perhaps [01:21:50] for the riskier practice, where perhaps the deferred consideration [01:21:55] is higher over a longer period of time. They don’t get as much cash on completion. [01:22:00] Yeah.

Andy Sloan: And that’s why I defer consideration exists. It’s limit. [01:22:05] It’s to. Yeah. Put a limit on risk. Deferred consideration. [01:22:10] Never used to be a thing in dentistry. They used to sell a practice and sell 100% of it and stuff. But then [01:22:15] when, when investors came in, they realised that you can’t do that and dentists will move [01:22:20] on. They sell their business because they’re transitioning a part of their life. Yeah. So they [01:22:25] they introduced deferred consideration for from a funding perspective. That’s the only [01:22:30] reason. Yeah.

Prav Solanki: Yeah. And so would your advice be to practices [01:22:35] out there if you’re looking to pull levers 3 to 5 years time? Yeah. [01:22:40] That can either increase your likelihood of selling it or maximise [01:22:45] your valuation. One of the big things is remove remove [01:22:50] the heroics. And actually this, this, this there’s two pieces here. So let’s say [01:22:55] I’m the principal dentist, right? And I’m the big grocer between now [01:23:00] and when I sell it, if I’m grossing it, I get to keep the more of [01:23:05] the income you do. And so I keep more cash in my bank and I take that money home. Right. [01:23:10] And that and that’s great for me. That’s great for my selfish own [01:23:15] finance plan. I’m keeping more of the money. But [01:23:20] then the I guess the problem with that is that three years down the line [01:23:25] or whatever, I want to sell it. Payday is not going to look as good.

Andy Sloan: Yeah.

Prav Solanki: So [01:23:30] I either take the hit now. Yeah. And say, look, I’m willing to sacrifice some [01:23:35] of that personal income. Give that to an associate and give them the privilege of [01:23:40] whatever the 40 to 50% is for doing that work. I’m going to personally [01:23:45] lose out on that, but I am building a business to sell with a higher level of valuation [01:23:50] there.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, exactly. And that is, you know, there’s no right or wrong answer of which one you would do. [01:23:55] Yeah. It’s personal choice and preference. You know, if you think [01:24:00] that you could say and I’m not saying the business is uninvestable if there is [01:24:05] heroics in there, it definitely is. You know, as long as all the other things are equal in there and it’s [01:24:10] not a horrendous business anyway, you will get a value for it. It just may not be as high as [01:24:15] it could be. And I think that’s the key point here. You just leaving money on the table [01:24:20] by not looking at some fundamentals in your business. Yeah. And if you [01:24:25] do those and you are brave now and a sacrifice now for the future, [01:24:30] you know you’ll reap the rewards. No, no. With no. Yeah. No no questions asked. [01:24:35]

Prav Solanki: Right. Next thing I want to talk to you about is, um, going back to making [01:24:40] mistakes.

Andy Sloan: Yeah.

Prav Solanki: Like, um, there’s a great book called Black Box Thinking [01:24:45] by Matthew Saeed, and he talks about this concept [01:24:50] of black box thinking where, you know, in the airline industry, we share the black box [01:24:55] across the industry for safety essentially. And in, in healthcare, in dentistry [01:25:00] and medicine. We’re very good at brushing mistakes under the carpet. Um, [01:25:05] because, you know, we don’t want to be caught or whatever or reported to the CDC [01:25:10] or whatever that is. And that happens, right?

Andy Sloan: It does.

Prav Solanki: If you were to look over your career [01:25:15] between today and when you started out back in the day, What would you say [01:25:20] is the biggest mistake that you have made that you could learn so [01:25:25] much from? Have you ever had any massive blunders where you’ve totally fucked things up and thought, [01:25:30] oh my God, what have I just done there?

Andy Sloan: No, I and this is and this isn’t trying [01:25:35] to be. I mean, I’ve made mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes.

Prav Solanki: I was expecting [01:25:40] something juicier than that. Andy.

Andy Sloan: Yeah, no, I know, and.

Prav Solanki: I.

Andy Sloan: Don’t want to just come [01:25:45] up with something.

Prav Solanki: No no no no. Yeah.

Andy Sloan: No. Um. I don’t think I’ve [01:25:50] ever sat there after a decision and thought, oh, my God, what have I done? Mm. [01:25:55] And, and you can ask my wife this and personally as well, she was astounded [01:26:00] by the fact that I could make decisions anyway. But they tend to be good [01:26:05] decisions and investments that we’ve made personally. We’ve just exited one [01:26:10] now. And you know, I was the one who pushed us into it and we’ve actually come away better [01:26:15] than we thought we would. Um, and so I don’t think that there’s ever been a time [01:26:20] where I’ve sat there and thought head in my hands, I wouldn’t do that again. What I would do do [01:26:25] is make mistakes and learn fast and move on. Do you know that whole black box analogy? [01:26:30] And it is an interesting one. And I do like the way that Matthew Syed uses it. But you [01:26:35] never want to use the black box because the black box means that something’s happened that [01:26:40] you have to then learn from. You know, to, to try and prevent it again. So I always think, [01:26:45] yeah, I look at it as a slightly different way and think, make mistakes. You should absolutely [01:26:50] not be scared of making mistakes. And everybody who works with me, I never say that people work for me, [01:26:55] you know, I only work with people. We should all be really, really comfortable to make mistakes [01:27:00] as long as we then course correct and fast fix. Well, I, I can, I know [01:27:05] that you’re looking for a juicy and like, you know, I haven’t got one is the honest answer [01:27:10] because I’ve just never, ever felt like I’ve made something that’s [01:27:15] so disastrously wrong that it’s it’s affected me, really? [01:27:20]

Prav Solanki: All right. Let me let me ask you another question, then. Have you ever had any really [01:27:25] dark moments in dentistry? Yeah. Where? Where it felt like [01:27:30] the world was coming, piling down around you. Whether it was a combination [01:27:35] of work and not being able to be the best dad or the best husband or whatever. Any [01:27:40] really dark moments that you’ve had?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. Going through transactions isn’t isn’t [01:27:45] always a barrel of laughs, to be honest with you. Because what you’ve got to do when you’re transacting your business is still [01:27:50] running. Yeah. So and you’ll know this, you know, we’re coming at you for information [01:27:55] overload and everyone looks at you as risky and you [01:28:00] prove that you don’t. So they’re going to keep coming at you until satisfied with the risk level. [01:28:05] So when you sell a business like Leo and you’ve got people like to [01:28:10] five arrows that are absolutely, um, trying to diligent, diligent you to the [01:28:15] nth degree because they really need to get comfortable with the risk profile as running the business [01:28:20] as well as being a dad as well as and the chair of our community council, you [01:28:25] know, as well. So all of these things compounded. And what I’m really not not good at [01:28:30] is handling that. What I tend to do is just [01:28:35] shut down and shut off. And I really have to give my head a wobble, or my wife gives my [01:28:40] head a wobble and say, come on, you know, you can get through this. It’s just a bit of work [01:28:45] and go and trying to link all this back. School reports. Clever but lazy. You know, [01:28:50] it’s been all the way through my life and I. I don’t fear hard work. I just don’t enjoy it. [01:28:55] And, and, and they’re, they’re probably the darkest times when things are just compounding [01:29:00] on top of you or even like, I’m very target driven.

Andy Sloan: You’re in [01:29:05] acquisitions, you’ve got a target of acquired EBITDA, you know, because the group needs to grow, [01:29:10] etc. you’re in software, you’ve got quotas of software sales that you need to achieve. [01:29:15] You’re selling to dentists aren’t the easiest people to sell to. Half [01:29:20] the time, you know. And then you’ve got private equity groups that have got procurement [01:29:25] problems, processes, being able to accurately say to your [01:29:30] board, you’re going to deliver X by X and be consistent with it isn’t [01:29:35] easy. And if I could, if I could solve for that, I’d be a very, very rich man. [01:29:40] And the reality is our industry just doesn’t fit the usual [01:29:45] mould for these types of things. And that makes me I get called optimistic [01:29:50] sometimes too optimistic sometimes. So not optimistic because optimism [01:29:55] is a good thing. Too optimistic can be a bad thing. You’re basically overpromising [01:30:00] and under-delivering on a consistent basis, and I’ve been guilty of doing that, [01:30:05] and that when that happens, it then starts to compound and you either do 1 or 2 things. [01:30:10] You either work harder and harder and harder, but you’re not working smarter anymore, and then you face [01:30:15] burnout or you stop and you and you just kind [01:30:20] of like I said, closed down or shut off. And I’ve been guilty of that. So I was, I would say times [01:30:25] where I’ve not been at my strongest or they’ve been [01:30:30] dark moments have been when she’s just coming at me at once.

Prav Solanki: Can [01:30:35] you think of a specific time where that was at [01:30:40] its height during your career? Was it? It was the TAM5 arrows. What was [01:30:45] it?

Andy Sloan: No, it was the it was the first transaction with, uh, Dbg into [01:30:50] Sonova. Because Lina and I had arranged for less than two years [01:30:55] first born child, which we had to have fertility um [01:31:00] assistance um for wasn’t IVF, but fertility assistance [01:31:05] in that one. So actually getting to that point, Then I had miscarried a few times. [01:31:10] You know, it was very, very pressured what we were going through personally. But then on top of that, trying [01:31:15] to sell Dbg. Um, and the, the crossover [01:31:20] and I was a very paranoid dad. I thought I was the type of dad that would leap across the net in the middle of the night to check [01:31:25] my son was still breathing. I was that type of individual. I used to do her head in. She was like, he’s fine. But [01:31:30] I think in my mind something was going to go wrong.

Prav Solanki: Yeah.

Andy Sloan: Because it it was a struggle [01:31:35] to get that. Yeah. The two sons, but yeah, struggled to get there. So I would say the most [01:31:40] stressful time, uh, and probably a time where I think I was on the [01:31:45] verge of breakdown was then, um, and it manifested [01:31:50] in, uh, frustration with, with the PE firm [01:31:55] because I felt like I was being made to go and do something. But actually, you know, [01:32:00] what was happening is I was, I was changing our life. I was involved in that transaction and [01:32:05] I was coming away with with a reward for being a part of that transaction. So [01:32:10] whilst it felt like a chore and it felt like a really, really [01:32:15] dark period, we actually sold it at a really good multiple and [01:32:20] gave them a fantastic, you know, debut, um, transition. And that was the [01:32:25] point in my life where our life started to change for the better. [01:32:30] It was the first time transactionally I’d been awarded something [01:32:35] for hard work, because I did work hard to get the transaction to where it needed to be. I think I [01:32:40] earned what I, I, I kind of made from it, but, but then coming home [01:32:45] and saying to my wife, we’re now in a different place to where we were not like, [01:32:50] I can quit work, different place. You know, I wish it was because we were talking now, [01:32:55] but.

Prav Solanki: But more comfortable, right?

Andy Sloan: A lot more comfortable, yeah. Than we were before. And then the [01:33:00] couple of other transactions that I’ve been in or the opportunities that I’ve had I’ve moved [01:33:05] us further along. Yeah. And I’m really fortunate. And I will say that, you know, whether [01:33:10] it’s luck to be where I am today, somebody that dropped out of college, [01:33:15] catering, college, in essence, you know, after a term because he had the taste for beer and like, [01:33:20] or whether I’ve been strategic or whether it’s, [01:33:25] I know God’s plan for me, I don’t know what it is, but [01:33:30] what I can say is I will always be eternally grateful for the opportunity [01:33:35] that I’ve been given. And one thing about me is, when I set my sights on doing something, [01:33:40] I will make sure I do it with every fibre of my being. But equally, when [01:33:45] I decided I want to do it anymore, I suck it off. So it’s kind of like there’s no middle [01:33:50] ground. It’s either all in or all out. Um, and I have to watch that. The one thing I’ll say [01:33:55] about this industry and I keep on saying it, I’m absolutely addicted [01:34:00] to it and I love it. And people don’t understand that all my friends work at Airbus and things like that, where [01:34:05] the area that I live in, that’s they don’t understand what I do in dentistry. Um, [01:34:10] um, and when I talk about it, like when I talk about my wife and kids, you know, [01:34:15] you can see that hopefully you can see that I’m still absolutely passionate about what we’re [01:34:20] here to do.

Prav Solanki: Well, I, I see it in our interactions, Andy. Yeah. You know, um, [01:34:25] just, you know, the, the challenges and, and, and challenging people, [01:34:30] um, and not being scared to sort of say you’re [01:34:35] wrong, even though you’re senior to me. I’ve seen, I’ve seen that from you and, [01:34:40] and I like that because, um, you know, you’re bringing your experience into the game, [01:34:45] aren’t you? You know, and, and there are people that come into this business that don’t necessarily have the Dental [01:34:50] experience that you have, but come with other experience. Right. And where do you see [01:34:55] Julio going over the next sort of 3 to 5 years? And how is that going [01:35:00] to impact dental practices?

Andy Sloan: Yeah. So we’re we’re, we’re, we’re changing the game [01:35:05] for what we do. So we had all of these isolated products. And, and when [01:35:10] I touched on earlier about businesses being, um, they, [01:35:15] they run into problems when they fix isolated challenges within their business, we were offering [01:35:20] isolated solutions. And so we’re transforming the business to be a platform. [01:35:25] So ideally, what we want is two logins. When you go into [01:35:30] a dental practice, one is your PMS and one is a Giglio and that’s it. And then within [01:35:35] the Giglio environment, you can run everything from your patient activation, [01:35:40] conversion retention, compliance, workforce management wrote a solution e-learning [01:35:45] platform always on compliance. We just want that to be what is the standard. [01:35:50] So the kind of Dental OS and that’s that’s in production now Giglio one [01:35:55] was launched and that is the kind of first step at doing that. Igrow was launched, [01:36:00] which, as you know, it’s a big part of what you do. Um, I did the business. Um, [01:36:05] and we’re only scratching the surface. Everyone talks about AI. If you look at our [01:36:10] marketing, you don’t see AI anywhere because workflow isn’t AI. And [01:36:15] what AI does is highlight inefficiencies very, very quickly. [01:36:20] So what we’re trying to do is use AI in a responsible way [01:36:25] rather than rushing into, um, out there. Um, we are AI enabled, [01:36:30] we are AI enabled, and we’ve got agents that are going live one in our compliance [01:36:35] solution, one in our solution.

Prav Solanki: Really excited, really, really excited. [01:36:40]

Andy Sloan: So you can see what we want to be. We want to be the, we want to be the Dental for the middle office [01:36:45] in, in essence. And I also think that, um, whilst we’ve made a foray into [01:36:50] a European market in the Netherlands, there’s still huge opportunities for Rogelio’s. Um, [01:36:55] blueprint to be adopted in mainly Commonwealth countries, where its similarity [01:37:00] to UK. Dental. But definitely, definitely overseas aspirations as well. [01:37:05]

Prav Solanki: Andy, tell us about this event I alluded to. Matt said [01:37:10] and and black box thinking for a reason. Yeah. So tell us about dentistry [01:37:15] reimagined. Um, I know you approached me about it and spoke to him about it, and I got really excited [01:37:20] about an event that isn’t like every other event.

Andy Sloan: Exactly. And [01:37:25] that’s, that’s what it’s about for nine years ago, I said to Celine event in Leicester, I’m [01:37:30] going to put on an event and it’s going to be better than this. Nine years later, I finally got to do it. So this [01:37:35] is a personal thing for me. And Julio have kindly agreed that I can do this independently [01:37:40] of the company. So a Julio, a sponsor of dentistry reimagined, but they’re not [01:37:45] influencing it in any way, shape or form. So what it’s about is bringing the right [01:37:50] people in the room to have the conversations that we’ve just been too scared to have. So, [01:37:55] um, you mentioned Matthew Syed. He’s actually our keynote speaker for the event. [01:38:00] So a very different perspective on things that hasn’t been seen in dentistry before. [01:38:05] And, um, you’ve kindly agreed to follow on from Matthew and bring that back into [01:38:10] the dental industry. So you’ve got, you know, inspiring keynotes that are then [01:38:15] grounded back into our industry. We’re purposely caffeinated, 250 tickets, [01:38:20] 50 of those are going to be available to trade because trade has got, um, as much right [01:38:25] to be in the room for these conversations as everybody else. But what we don’t want it to be is to trade heavy. The [01:38:30] rest of the audience is going to be made up of a DSO Leaders um, [01:38:35] um, from the largest to, you know, medium to, to the lowest independent practice [01:38:40] owners that want to understand the kind of growth trajectory or what it is that they can get [01:38:45] access to or whatever it is that they’re kind of looking from it, private equity companies.

Andy Sloan: So we’re [01:38:50] actually bringing in the people that are looking to invest in our industry in the next cycle into the room [01:38:55] where it can be challenged on. Well, why do you look at it like that? Or why do you do this? [01:39:00] And they can challenge the industry on. If you don’t look at these areas, you’re going to get a lower valuation [01:39:05] than if you don’t. So Dentistry Reimagined is just about bringing [01:39:10] these people together and putting on an event that just challenges what our [01:39:15] industry is doing and where it’s going. And we’ve got some great panel speakers [01:39:20] and breakout sessions with all purposeful, purposeful [01:39:25] topics that can feel a little bit uncomfortable. So what I would say is, [01:39:30] if people aren’t comfortable with the types of topics, when the agenda is going to be published this week, [01:39:35] don’t come. It’s probably not for you, you know, and because what you want is [01:39:40] wallflowers in there, we want people that are going to be a part of the conversation, really shape what’s [01:39:45] going to happen next. There is some awards that are going on throughout the day, but they’re entwined in what we’re doing. [01:39:50] So we’re not doing any practice of the year awards or team of the year awards or nurse of the year awards. [01:39:55] What we’re doing is we’re asking people to submit themselves or others for [01:40:00] an independent judging panel to take a look at and where they think that patient [01:40:05] outcomes have been improved or over delivered, or so [01:40:10] it’s all about the kind of outcome as opposed to the input.

Andy Sloan: And yeah, it’s going to be really exciting. [01:40:15] It’s at the brewery in London on the 25th of September. It’s a full day event. There’s a tech zone is [01:40:20] going to be in there as well. We’ve capped the sponsors. So we’ve got two headline sponsors, three gold sponsors [01:40:25] and seven silver sponsors, and that’s it. Are they going to put on a tech zone that can really immerse [01:40:30] people in what the next phase of dentistry could look like? So we’ve got AI [01:40:35] companies, tech companies. Uh, I’ve got an events company coming, you know, so, and [01:40:40] that experience is throughout the day. So you can go and have these, uh, tech zone experiences throughout [01:40:45] the day. But at the end of the day, we’re going to do cocktails and canapés in there as well. And then we’re going to have a bit [01:40:50] of a party because as much as we want to reimagine dentistry, we also want to celebrate it as well. And [01:40:55] one of the reasons why I like this industry so much, and I keep telling people that dentists like to [01:41:00] party. Yeah. And I’m a kindred spirit in that regard. So, um, [01:41:05] we’re going to have a bit of a party as well.

Prav Solanki: Brilliant, brilliant. Looking forward to it, Andy. [01:41:10] And I think, I think, I think it’ll be something different that you bring to the table and um, I’m [01:41:15] excited about it. We’re getting towards the end of our time, Andy. And, um, a couple of questions [01:41:20] that I want to ask away from work and dentistry and all the rest of it, which is, um, [01:41:25] imagine you’ve got to your last day on the planet and [01:41:30] you’ve got to leave your kids a message.

Andy Sloan: Okay? [01:41:35] Yeah, yeah.

Prav Solanki: And you’re talking down the barrel of the lens [01:41:40] to the camera, and you’ve got to leave them with three pieces of advice. [01:41:45] What would they be?

Andy Sloan: Three pieces of advice. So, [01:41:50] um, be yourself. Always be [01:41:55] yourself. There’s one thing I say to my kids now, and, um, and I’ll [01:42:00] continue to say it. I’ll say it again. Don’t lie. I personally [01:42:05] don’t like liars and I don’t lie. Um, and enjoy it. [01:42:10] Enjoy. Enjoy it. If things aren’t feeling enjoyable, don’t [01:42:15] do them. Change them. You know, because life’s hard enough as it is for us to be doing stuff [01:42:20] that we’re not enjoying on a day to day basis. Just add weight. So get rid of the [01:42:25] weight. If it’s, if it, if it feels like it’s weighty, change it and get rid of it. So they’re the three [01:42:30] things I would tell them.

Prav Solanki: Beautiful. How do you think they’d remember you?

Andy Sloan: Pain [01:42:35] in the backside. Uh. How do [01:42:40] you think my kids would remember me? I think fondly. Um, I was brought up. [01:42:45] I was brought up really well. I just want my kids to be decent human beings. Um, [01:42:50] and if they are, then I think I’ve done a good job and hopefully they’ll see me as someone [01:42:55] that has been supportive of them, has, uh, championed them [01:43:00] and, and love them because they, they mean everything to me. Yeah. [01:43:05]

Prav Solanki: Yeah. And do you think Mum and Dad are proud?

Andy Sloan: Yes. Um, my dad’s not here [01:43:10] anymore. He hasn’t been here for a good number of years, but, uh, he was always proud of me. Always. And when [01:43:15] I married like that, he was more proud of that than me. And my mum was. Mum was made up because, [01:43:20] um, uh, she was thinking grandkids, you know, and, and [01:43:25] I managed to, to gift her with two grandkids. So yeah, they’re both really proud [01:43:30] and I’m going to see my mum on at the weekend because it’s her birthday on the [01:43:35] ninth, you know, and um, and um, yeah, um family. [01:43:40] So over, over the years for me, family hasn’t always been my priority. [01:43:45] Until I met Lynette. And coming from an Irish family, it means [01:43:50] everything to her. So she’s helped me forge a stronger relationship [01:43:55] with my family than I had before.

Prav Solanki: Beautiful aren’t [01:44:00] they? Just leaves me to say thank you very much for your time today. It’s been great interviewing [01:44:05] my boss. Um, and, um. Yeah, just just thanks [01:44:10] for everything, Andy. It’s been great.

Andy Sloan: I appreciate it.

Prav Solanki: Thanks for listening, guys. If [01:44:15] you got this far, you must have listened to the whole thing. And just a huge thank you both from me and pay [01:44:20] for actually sticking through and listening to what we had to say and what our guest has had to say, because [01:44:25] I’m assuming you got some value out of it.

Payman Langroudi: If you did get some value out of it, think about subscribing [01:44:30] and if you would share this with a friend who you think might get some value [01:44:35] out of it too. Thank you so, so, so much for listening. Thanks.

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